The Department of State Services (DSS) has released journalist Zainab Sadiq following days of public outrage, sustained advocacy by civil society organisations, legal practitioners and press freedom campaigners over her detention.
Human rights activist and presidential candidate of AAC, Omoyele Sowore, announced Sadiq’s release, expressing gratitude to prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, Amnesty International, journalists, activists and other pro-democracy groups whose relentless pressure, he said, compelled the authorities to free the reporter.
Sadiq’s arrest had ignited widespread condemnation after reports emerged that she was detained while carrying out her professional duties covering Sowore’s activities. Her detention drew fierce criticism from media rights advocates, who described the action as an assault on press freedom and an attempt to intimidate journalists reporting on opposition politics.
Before her release, the Edo State Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the DSS, threatening nationwide peaceful protests if the journalist was not freed. The coalition argued that detaining journalists for performing their constitutional duties undermines democracy, freedom of expression and the rule of law, insisting that no democratic government should criminalise legitimate journalism.
The DSS had defended Sadiq’s detention, maintaining that she was being investigated over the possession of a drone without the required End User Certificate as stipulated under national security regulations. The agency insisted its actions were lawful and driven by security concerns surrounding the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Sowore, however, rejected the explanation, insisting the drone belonged to him and was used strictly for legitimate media coverage. He alleged that the detention was politically motivated and designed to frustrate his legal engagements while intimidating journalists associated with him.
The release of Sadiq has been welcomed across Nigeria’s media and civil society community as another victory for collective civic action. Rights advocates have nevertheless warned that the incident underscores growing concerns over press freedom, urging security agencies to respect constitutional guarantees protecting journalists from harassment and arbitrary detention.