Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre on Wednesday released the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Fisayo Soyombo, on bail.
Soyombo, who was accompanied by his organisation’s lawyer, Abimbola Ojenike, to the NPF-NCCC headquarters in Abuja, was released at about 4:55 pm.
Speaking after his release, Soyombo said he initially had no idea about the matter he was invited for as the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he and FIJ had over 15 cases with the police.
He added that he was later interrogated for about eight hours on a report on the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
He said, “There was nothing much that happened and nothing dramatic.
“Even though the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, had said that there were more than 15 allegations against me and FIJ, I came in without knowing what exactly I was here for. It ended up being about the Orelope Adefulire story. I was interrogated for about eight hours.”
Soyombo also disclosed that one of the bail conditions was that he should report to NPF-NCCC headquarters bi-weekly.
He said, “Like I was saying, it was for this story that Shonibare was grilled; for which the police abducted Daniel Ojukwu and kept him in unlawful detention for days. Now, I am out on bail and I am supposed to come back here every two weeks.”
A reporter with the platform, Daniel Ojukwu, was abducted and detained by the centre on May 1 and was released 10 days later after an outcry from media practitioners over the same report.