By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Department of State Services (DSS) has defended the detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq, insisting she is being investigated for allegedly operating a drone without the required authorisation, while activist Omoyele Sowore alleged the action was intended to frustrate the perfection of his bail.
In a statement on Thursday, the DSS said Sodiq was intercepted by officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security and DSS operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on July 6 while travelling to Abuja with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
According to the agency, the journalist could not produce the mandatory End User Certificate required for the acquisition and operation of drones in Nigeria.
The DSS said: “Subject was intercepted by FAAN AVSEC and operatives of DSS at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 6, 2026, with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle en route Abuja from MMIA without an End User Certificate.”
It explained that although Sodiq was allowed to board her flight because she had a prior engagement in Abuja, she was instructed to report to the DSS headquarters for further investigation.
The agency said the investigation was being conducted in line with directives issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which empower security agencies to impound drones and sanction operators who fail to comply with regulatory requirements.
According to the DSS, “This action is necessitated by global and domestic security concerns associated with operation of drones, especially issues of privacy breaches and safety of individuals,” adding that it remained committed to professionalism and the rule of law.
However, Sowore disputed the agency’s explanation, insisting that the drone belonged to him and had been used for legitimate media coverage.
“The DJI Mavic Air drone in question belongs personally to me,” he said, adding that he informed DSS officials in Lagos that Sodiq was only conveying the equipment in her capacity as a journalist covering his activities.
Sowore alleged that the real objective was to prevent his international passport from reaching Abuja, where it was required to perfect the bail recently granted to him by a Federal High Court.
“The real objective was to prevent Zainab from reaching Abuja with my international passport, frustrate the perfection of my bail, and create an excuse to send me back to the overcrowded Kuje Prison,” he alleged.
He further claimed that after honouring an invitation by the DSS to clarify issues surrounding the drone, Sodiq was taken into custody instead of being allowed to retrieve the equipment.
The Take It Back Movement also condemned the journalist’s detention, describing it as an attack on press freedom and political dissent.
The group maintained that journalists should not be harassed for carrying out legitimate professional duties and called on the DSS to either release Sodiq immediately or charge her before a competent court if it believes she has committed any offence.
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