The Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Ajayi, has ordered disciplinary action against officers involved in the arrest and detention of two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM, a private radio station in Jos, Plateau State.
The journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, were arrested while reporting an altercation between SSS officials and clerics at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Headquarters Church, where the funeral of the mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Nantawe Yilwatda, took place.
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Two senior SSS officials who requested not to be named separately confirmed Mr Ajayi’s directive on Sunday to PREMIUM TIMES.
In a 41-second live video posted on Jay 101.9 FM’s Facebook page, several clerics dressed in black suits were seen protesting angrily, apparently reacting to the actions of SSS personnel. A female officer, wearing a face mask, was seen arguing with the clerics during the incident.
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While the confrontation unfolded, the journalists recorded and reported the event live on the station’s Facebook page. They were subsequently arrested and detained, an action widely condemned as a violation of press freedom guaranteed under Nigeria’s constitution.
Following their arrest, Jay 101.9 FM management demanded their immediate release and urged the SSS to uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.
In response to inquiries by PREMIUM TIMES, one of the senior SSS officials described the arrest as a mistake, apologised for the action, and confirmed that the journalists had been released.
The SSS officials also confirmed that all officers involved have been identified, and disciplinary measures are already being implemented in compliance with the directive of the SSS director-general.
Previous cases of intimidation of journalists
The SSS, one of Nigeria’s intelligence and security agencies, has, over the years, been fingered in the arrest, detention, harassment, and intimidation of journalists, often in response to reports on sensitive or politically controversial issues.
Section 22 of Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees press freedom, stating that “the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
However, civil society groups argue that enforcement of this provision remains weak, allowing security agencies to act with impunity.
Those who criticise the SSS often point to the misuse of laws such as the Cybercrime Act and other regulations, which are frequently deployed to stifle dissent and suppress independent journalism.
In August 2024, Adejuwon Soyinka, a former BBC editor, was detained by the SSS at Lagos Airport upon arrival from the United Kingdom after his name reportedly appeared on a watchlist. He was released after six hours of interrogation, although his passport was withheld for some time. The SSS later said the incident was a case of mistaken identity.
Similarly, in May 2024, Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was detained for more than a week under the Cybercrime Act after publishing an investigative report exposing alleged misconduct by a senior government official.
In another case, Abdulrasheed Hammad, a freelance journalist based in Sokoto, was reportedly detained in August 2024 after investigating and exposing unregistered sachet water factories operating without regulatory approval. The SSS allegedly carried out his arrest under the instruction of the factory owner implicated in his report.
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