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Summary: Zainab Sodiq, the journalist who covers African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged operation of a drone without the required authorisation.
Zainab Sodiq, the journalist who covers African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged operation of a drone without the required authorisation. Her detention was confirmed through the agency’s official statement released on Thursday, July 8, 2026.
According to the agency, Zanaib was intercepted by officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Aviation Security and DSS operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 6 while travelling to Abuja with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
She was said to have been unable to provide an End User Certificate, a necessary document required to acquire and operate drones in Nigeria. She was allowed to board the plane because she had a prior engagement in Abuja and was instructed to report to its headquarters on Wednesday for the continuation of investigations.
Speaking on the issue, Sowore alleged that the journalist was intentionally detained because she was on his way to bring his passport, which was a requirement as part of the bail conditions imposed by Justice M.G. Umar. He explained that the drone belongs to him and was used for media purposes to cover elections and other public events. He added that under the pretext of a DSS directive for Zainab to come to their office in Abuja and retrieve the seized drone, she was taken into custody immediately upon arrival.
“We were later told that the DSS leadership was angry because I had publicly exposed Zainab’s unlawful detention via social media posts,” Sowore said.
The civil society organisation, Take It Back Movement, has also condemned the arrest of the media professional.
“Possessing media equipment is not a crime. Asking questions is not a crime. Reporting the truth is not a crime. The real crime is the use of state security agencies to suppress citizens, silence journalists, intimidate activists, and protect those in power from public accountability,” the Movement said.
