Popular investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has appreciated Nigerians and the media for their solidarity and advocacy during his detention by the Nigerian Army.
He said the collective actions were instrumental in securing his release from detention.
In a statement on Saturday, after regaining freedom, Soyombo recounted his ordeal, detailing how he was interrogated extensively on the day of his arrest and kept in a cell overnight.
He was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday and detained for three days.
According to him, by Thursday, the anticipated follow-up questioning by the soldiers did not hold, and he was informed that the Army intended to take its time with investigations into his identity as an investigative journalist.
The statement read: “’Nigerians are not worth fighting for.’ I hear that every now and then, and I’ve always disbelieved it.
“Yesterday, you proved me right. You all are the reason my detention by HQ Nigerian Army lasted ‘only’ three days. I’m a free man today because of your social media engagements with #FreeFisayoNow and the publications/broadcasts by the traditional media. And I can prove it.

“After my arrest at about 2am on Wednesday, I was grilled by different levels of the Army until deep into the night. I didn’t return to my cell until at least 11pm on Wednesday. My case was then forwarded to a superior office that was to interrogate me on Thursday.
“Surprisingly, Thursday was uneventful; from morning until night, this office never sent for me. I soon learnt the Army would take ‘as long as it wanted’ to conduct their ‘investigation’ just to establish that I was indeed an investigative journalist.”
He said on Friday morning he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Brigade.
He explained that chance encounter with an officer who recognised his name as being “in the news” became the turning point in his release.
He said, “The hashtag #FreeFisayoNow trended widely across Nigerian social media platforms, garnering the attention of human rights activists, journalists, and concerned citizens. Traditional media outlets also amplified the campaign, raising questions about press freedom and the right to due process.
“To my utmost surprise, on Friday morning, at about 11am or thereabouts, I was retrieved from my cell for transfer to the Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB). It was during the transfer that someone who ran into me asked to know my name, after which they said: “You’re the one; you’re in the news.”
Soyombo added, “Without your pressure, I’d still be in that cell by now, away from civilisation and held incommunicado. So, yes, my freedom is your freedom. This victory exists because of you, you, and you. Thank you!