The State Security Service (SSS) has confirmed and justified the detention of Zainab Sodiq, who activist Omoyele Sowore says works as a journalist covering his activities.
The SSS said in a statement early Thursday morning that she is being investigated for allegedly transporting a drone without the required government clearance.
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However, Mr Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) for the upcoming 2027 election, has dismissed the explanation, alleging that the arrest was instead aimed at frustrating the perfection of his bail.
Mr Sowore, who previously ran for the presidency on the AAC platform in 2019 and 2023, is currently standing trial on charges of alleged cybercrime and criminal defamation over social media posts about President Bola Tinubu, allegations he denies.
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After his earlier bail was revoked for failing to appear in court, he was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre before being granted fresh bail on 30 June by Justice Mohammed Umar under stricter conditions, including a N200 million bond, two sureties and the deposit of his international passport.
At the last hearing on 6 July, the prosecution argued that he had yet to meet those conditions and urged the court to return him to custody.
On 8 July, Mr Sowore raised the alarm that Ms Sodiq had been arrested and subsequently alleged that her continued detention was to frustrate his bail because the journalist was carrying his international passport.
Why Sodiq was arrested – SSS
A statement issued by SSS spokesperson Favour Dozie and posted to X via the agency’s handle on Thursday said Ms Sodiq was intercepted on 6 July by aviation security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and SSS operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while travelling to Abuja with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone.
The agency said she did not possess an End User Certificate (EUC), a document required under national security regulations governing the acquisition and use of drones in Nigeria, authorising her to use the device.
According to the SSS, Ms Sodiq admitted she was not in possession of the required documents. It said she was nevertheless allowed to board her flight because she had a prior engagement in Abuja but was directed to report to the agency on Wednesday for the continuation of its investigation.
The service said the investigation was being conducted under extant regulations issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which empower security agencies to impound and sanction individuals or organisations operating remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), or drones, without the required authorisation.
“This action is necessitated by global and domestic security concerns associated with operation of drones, especially issues of privacy breaches and safety of individuals,” the SSS said.
Sowore disputes SSS account
Mr Sowore, however, rejected the SSS explanation, alleging that Ms Sodiq was detained because of her association with him and not because of the drone.
In his statement posted on social media Thursday, the activist said the DJI Mavic Air drone seized by SSS operatives belonged to him and had been used for legitimate media coverage, including elections and other public events.
He said he personally informed SSS personnel in Lagos that the drone was his and that Ms Sodiq, who was covering his activities as a journalist, was only transporting it.
According to Mr Sowore, he instructed Ms Sodiq to leave the drone with airport officials and continue her journey to Abuja because she was carrying his passport, which he said was needed to satisfy bail conditions imposed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He alleged that the real objective was to prevent the passport from reaching Abuja in time to perfect his bail and that Ms Sodiq was later taken into custody after honouring an invitation to the SSS headquarters.
Mr Sowore further alleged that the SSS later cited the drone as justification for her detention after he publicly disclosed the incident on social media.
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify Mr Sowore’s claims.
The SSS statement made no reference to him, his court proceedings or his allegations, maintaining that the investigation relates solely to Ms Sodiq’s alleged failure to possess the required End User Certificate.
But Mr Sowore described the arrest as part of the broader efforts of the Tinubu administration to suppress critical voices.
Nigeria’s tightening drone controls
Nigeria has significantly tightened regulations governing drones in recent years as security agencies respond to growing concerns over their use by criminal and terrorist groups.
Commercially available drones have become increasingly accessible and are now widely used by photographers, videographers, filmmakers, surveyors, media organisations, construction firms and emergency responders for aerial imaging, mapping and inspections. News organisations also routinely deploy drones to document elections, disasters, infrastructure projects and other public events.
However, security agencies have repeatedly warned that armed groups have also adopted the technology. Terrorist organisations, particularly the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have used commercially available drones for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, surveillance of military positions and propaganda.
Security analysts have also warned of attempts by non-state actors to modify civilian drones for hostile purposes, prompting authorities to impose tighter controls on their acquisition and operation.
What the law says
Drone operations in Nigeria are regulated under two separate but complementary frameworks.
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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulates the safety and operational aspects of remotely piloted aircraft through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, including requirements relating to registration, operator certification and flight approvals depending on the category of operation.
Separately, the Office of the National Security Adviser introduced national security controls requiring an End User Certificate (EUC) before certain categories of drones can be imported, acquired or operated in Nigeria. The framework also authorises the SSS and other security agencies to impound drones and sanction individuals or organisations found operating them without the required security clearance.
The SSS said its investigation into Ms Sodiq is being conducted under those national security regulations and reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and adherence to the rule of law.
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