Amnesty International Nigeria is demanding the prompt and unconditional release of reporter Zainab Sodiq from the Department of State Services (DSS). The group labels her ongoing incarceration as a direct affront to press freedom and individual rights.
Sodiq was taken into custody on July 6 at the Lagos airport. Officials claim she lacked the required End User Certificate for a DJI Mavic Air drone found in her possession. However, Amnesty asserts that these charges appear to be a convenient excuse to hinder her journalistic activities, suggesting she was targeted specifically for her professional work.
The organization notes that this incident reflects a broader trend of diminishing civic freedom in Nigeria. Journalists, activists, and human rights defenders are frequently subjected to harassment, intimidation, and unlawful arrests. Amnesty warns that using drone regulations as a tool to impede journalism undermines both constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations.
Highlighting a worrying rise in charges involving criminal defamation, cyberstalking, and terrorism, Amnesty insists that the government must stop weaponizing the legal system against media professionals. The organization is calling for a full, transparent investigation into Sodiq’s arrest, including any potential procedural violations, while urging authorities to ensure that reporters can operate safely without the threat of reprisal.
