Investigative journalist and founder of Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has been released by the police.
Soyombo was initially detained at the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Monday afternoon after honouring an invitation from the force.
Read Also: Police Detain Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo Over Story Exposing Corruption
However, the FIJ in an update said he was released and asked to return to the force headquarters by January 2022 because he published a story exposing corruption.
We can confirm that our Founder @fisayosoyombo has been released by the Force Headquarters.
He was released on bail at exactly 6:26pm today and is to return on January 13, 2022.
Our only offence here is that we published a TRUE story.
— Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) (@fijnigeria) December 13, 2021
Soyombo also announced his release via his Twitter page, saying;
Journalists, activists, lawyers and everyone else working in the public interest should not have to deal with a distraction like this, but none of us must give up on the Nigerian dream.
2/2
— ‘Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) December 13, 2021
Months ago, the medium had reported how, in his former role as Commissioner of Police in charge of Budget and Finance at Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Joseph Egbunike, joined other police chiefs to approve more than N1billion for sham police transit camps project in Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, Katsina and Kano states.
Egbunike is the head of the police internal panel probing Abba Kyari’s indictment in a recent FBI report on fraud conspiracy,
Read Also: Hushpuppi: IGP Receives Report On Probe Of Bribery Allegations Against DCP Abba Kyari
Reporters visited the project locations only to discover that nothing or little had been done — three years later.
On a visit to the over N245million transit camp in Riyom, Plateau State, for instance, it was discovered that two uncompleted bungalows and a few mobile buildings on an expanse of land, with a real estate expert who examined the project reporting: “Look at that building in the red roof, which happens to be a police station in the camp, with N9million or N10million, you can raise that building up to that level.”
Thereafter, 11 lawyers petitioned Usman Alkali, the Inspector-General of Police, over the story, asking for the “prosecution” of those behind it for defamation under the Penal Code.
The 11 lawyers are led by one Stefan Onome Okorodudu and they claim to operate under a joint mandate as “Concerned Lawyers in defence of the Nigeria Police and its officers from the peddling and publication of falsehood.”
