Investigative Journalist Fisayo Soyombo, has finally opened up on his recent encounter with men of the Nigerian Army while conducting an undercover investigation.

On Friday, reports of Fisayo’s arrest took the internet by storm.

It was reported that Soyombo was arrested and detained for three days by the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The Acting Deputy Director 6 Division Army Public Relations, Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, in a statement, said Fisayo was arrested alongside other individuals engaging in oil bunkering.

He stated that all suspects are currently undergoing preliminary investigation to ascertain their level of involvement or otherwise.

Well, later on Friday, FIJ confirmed that the journalist had been released.

Fisayo Soyombo Speaks

However, Soyombo has clarified that he was not arrested with oil thieves but he was the one who approached the military personnel.

According to him, he had thought they were there to facilitate a settlement.

He admitted that he did not inform the Nigerian Army about his investigation due to mistrust.

He said: “There was no arrest, the Nigerian army did not arrest me.
They spotted me, flashed their torch, and I came out and wanted to open a conversation.
I didn’t show them my ID because the illegal bunkerers had said they had settled everyone and the guys who came were the ones that were not settled, and a conversation was going to settle them, so I just thought it was a settlement conversation and I came forward.

Also Read: Fisayo Soyombo’s Arrest: The Hidden Truth Nigerians Are Not Seeing

“The real growls of the army were that, one, I didn’t carry them along.
I won’t deny that I have low trust for Nigerian public institutions – I didn’t trust the army, I didn’t carry them along, but also known illegal oil bunkerers were bribing different people with various security formations and I would endanger my life by carrying them along if I didn’t know who was who.”

He revealed that after being detained in a military camp, he maintained his cover as an illegal oil bunkerer until he was taken to the Sixth Division headquarters.

He added: “They all felt I was an illegal oil bunkerer, and I played along until they took me to 6th Div.
And I thought from then I was speaking with people in offices who were investigating the case; that is when I said I was an undercover journalist and showed them proof.”