Customs, Police, Military Plotting To Arrest Me – Fisayo Soyombo
Renowned investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has alleged that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the military, is planning to arrest him.
Soyombo made this claim on Monday morning via a post on his Facebook page, attributing the alleged plot to his investigative work, which has exposed corruption within the Customs Service.
Allegations of Threats and Retaliation
In his post, Soyombo revealed that he had previously received warnings about threats to his life from Customs officers but noted this was the first instance of a purported plan to arrest him.
“Good afternoon, @CustomsNG. Last night, I became aware of your ongoing plans to arrest me, working in concert with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian military,” he wrote.
Soyombo accused the Customs Service of targeting him for his investigative reporting, particularly his ‘Good Morning Nigeria Customs’ tweets, which exposed alleged complicity in smuggling activities.
“This is being considered because of last week’s motion by the House of Representatives to probe the complicity of Customs in smuggling, following several months of my ‘Good Morning Nigeria Customs’ tweets,” he said.
Calls for Accountability
The journalist held the Customs Service accountable for his safety, stating, “Should I go missing, Nigerians now know that I am with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).”
He also alleged that previous attempts to intimidate him involved threats to his life, claiming he had been warned about plans by Customs officers to either “take me down” or “execute” him.
Pending Response
As of the time of this report, the Nigeria Customs Service had not issued a response to Soyombo’s allegations.
This development follows growing concerns over the safety of investigative journalists in Nigeria, particularly those exposing corruption and misconduct in public institutions.
