The State Security Service says it is holding journalist Zainab Sodiq for allegedly transporting a drone without government approval.
In a statement posted on X early Thursday, SSS spokesperson Favour Dozie said Sodiq was stopped on July 6 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos by FAAN aviation security and SSS operatives. She was reportedly on her way to Abuja with a UAV, commonly called a drone, but could not present an End User Certificate. That document is required under national security rules overseen by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
According to the SSS, Sodiq admitted she did not have the certificate. She was allowed to continue to Abuja because of a prior engagement, but was asked to report to SSS offices on Wednesday for further questioning. The service said the probe is based on regulations that let security agencies seize drones operated without clearance, citing concerns about privacy and public safety.
Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters and AAC presidential candidate for 2027, tells a different story. He said the DJI Mavic Air drone belongs to him and is used for media coverage. He claims he told SSS in Lagos that Sodiq was only carrying it for him while she was also transporting his international passport to Abuja to meet bail conditions.
Sowore, who is facing cybercrime and criminal defamation charges over posts about President Bola Tinubu, was granted fresh bail on June 30. The conditions included a N200 million bond, two sureties, and the surrender of his passport. At a hearing on July 6, prosecutors argued he had not yet met them and asked that he be returned to custody.
On July 8, Sowore alleged Sodiq’s detention was meant to stop the passport from reaching court in time. He said she was later taken into custody after responding to an SSS invitation.
The SSS statement did not mention Sowore or his court case, and said the investigation concerns only Sodiq’s alleged breach of drone rules. Premium Times could not independently verify Sowore’s claims.
Sowore described the arrest as part of what he called wider pressure on critical voices under the Tinubu administration.
