Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Fisayo Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has blown the whistle on the shocking complicity of some military personnel and oil thieves in Nigeria’s oil sector.
In an interview on AriseTV, monitored by Africa Health Report on Saturday, Soyombo revealed that his recent arrest by the Nigerian Army occurred while he was conducting an undercover investigation into oil theft in Port Harcourt.
The journalist emphasized that the scale of crude oil theft in Nigeria is far greater than publicly acknowledged.
He expressed outrage at the level of collaboration between saboteurs in the military and oil bunkerers, stating that it would shock Nigerians to know the kind of people who escort illegal oil bunkers out of Port Harcourt.
Soyombo also criticized the Army spokesperson for recklessly endangering his safety by publicly linking his arrest and subsequent detention to the investigation.
This move, he said, not only jeopardized his security but also exposed the extent of sabotage within Nigeria’s security apparatus.
His revelations have sparked widespread concern about the depth of corruption in the oil sector and the need for urgent action to address it.
Soyombo’s experience is a stark reminder of the risks faced by investigative journalists in Nigeria.
His arrest and detention by the Nigerian Army have been widely condemned, and his release has been hailed as a victory for press freedom.
