The Department of State Services has handed over Zainab Sodiq, a media aide to Omoyele Sowore, to the International Press Institute Nigeria. Sodiq had been held by the agency after being found with a drone.
Malam Ahmed Shekarau, the secretary of IPI Nigeria, confirmed in a Saturday statement that Sodiq was released at 7:30 p.m. on Friday after the organization intervened. Shekarau explained that security personnel originally intercepted Sodiq at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport on July 6, 2026, as she prepared to travel with the device.
Although authorities allowed her to fly to Abuja that same day, she was ordered to visit the DSS headquarters on Wednesday. Upon arrival, she was taken into custody for not having an End User Certificate for the drone. IPI Nigeria President Musikilu Mojeed expressed satisfaction with the resolution. He acknowledged the role of security agencies in maintaining order while stressing that such actions must respect the rights of journalists. Mojeed called for ongoing cooperation between the media and security services to protect both national safety and the freedom of the press.
