DigiCivic Initiative expresses deep concern over the reported arrest and detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) following her professional engagement in investigating issues surrounding the use and possession of drones. According to media reports, the detention is linked to an ongoing investigation into End User Certificate compliance relating to drones.

 

While we recognize the constitutional mandate of Nigeria’s security agencies to investigate matters relating to national security and regulate sensitive technologies capable of posing security risks, such responsibilities must always be exercised within the confines of the Constitution, the rule of law, and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.

 

A democratic society cannot flourish where journalists face intimidation, arbitrary arrest, or prolonged detention merely for performing their constitutionally protected duty of gathering and disseminating information in the public interest.

 

Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information without interference. This constitutional protection extends to journalists whose work serves as a cornerstone of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.

 

Furthermore, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Nigeria is a signatory, reinforce the protection of media freedom and the public’s right to access information.

 

The press performs an indispensable constitutional role by exposing matters of public concern, holding institutions accountable, uncovering corruption, promoting transparency, and ensuring that citizens remain informed about issues affecting governance and national development. Journalists should never become targets simply because their investigative work touches on matters involving powerful institutions or sensitive national issues.

 

Without prejudging the outcome of any investigation, we respectfully call upon the appropriate regulatory and security authorities to clarify:

 

– Whether the drones in question were lawfully imported into Nigeria

 

– Whether the required End User Certificate (EUC) from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is a statutory requirement to own a drone in Nigeria

 

– Whether all licensing, authorization, and national security requirements governing the acquisition, importation, possession, and deployment of drones are condition precedent, and

 

– Whether all persons in Nigeria who use drones, irrespective of nationality or corporate affiliation, are being subjected to the same standard of accountability under Nigerian law.

 

Public confidence in national security institutions is strengthened not by secrecy or intimidation but by transparency, accountability, and equal application of the law.

 

It is well established that drones constitute sensitive dual-use technologies capable of legitimate commercial, industrial, environmental, and security applications. 

 

Given the prevailing security challenges confronting Nigeria, the regulation of drones is undeniably important. Public reports over the years have consistently indicated that drones imported into Nigeria generally require an End User Certificate issued through the Office of the National Security Adviser as part of the country’s national security control framework,  but how workable and implementable is such a framework?

 

However, legitimate security concerns cannot become a justification for suppressing investigative journalism or discouraging public-interest reporting.

 

Security and press freedom are not mutually exclusive. Rather, both are essential pillars of constitutional democracy and should reinforce not undermine one another.

 

DigiCivic Initiative therefore calls for:

 

1. The immediate disclosure of the legal basis for the detention of the journalist and, where no lawful basis exists, her immediate release.

 

2. Full respect for the constitutional rights of journalists during investigations involving matters of public interest.

 

3. Transparent communication by the relevant authorities regarding the status of investigations into the reported drone possession and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

 

4. Stronger institutional safeguards against the intimidation, harassment, or arbitrary detention of journalists carrying out lawful professional duties.

 

A free press is not an adversary of the State. Rather, it is an indispensable democratic institution that promotes accountability, strengthens public trust, and contributes to national development through factual reporting and informed public discourse.

 

Nigeria’s democracy is strengthened when journalists can report without fear, security agencies operate within the bounds of the law, and public institutions remain accountable to the people they serve.

 

DigiCivic Initiative urges all stakeholders including security agencies, regulatory authorities, civil society organizations, media practitioners, and the international community to uphold the principles of constitutional democracy, the rule of law, transparency, and respect for fundamental human rights.

 

Signed:

 

DigiCivic Initiative