The Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Ajayi, has directed disciplinary measures against officers involved in the arrest and detention of two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM, a private radio station based in Jos, Plateau State.
The journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, were arrested while covering a confrontation between SSS officials and church leaders 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, was taking place.
Two senior SSS officials confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that Mr Ajayi had ordered disciplinary action against those responsible.
A 41-second live video posted on Jay 101.9 FM’s Facebook page showed several clerics dressed in black suits protesting against the actions of SSS operatives. A female officer wearing a face mask was also seen arguing with the clerics during the incident.
While the exchange was ongoing, the journalists streamed the scene live on the station’s Facebook page before they were arrested and detained — a move that has since drawn public outrage and condemnation from media advocates, who described it as a violation of press freedom guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution.
Following their arrest, Jay 101.9 FM’s management demanded their immediate release and urged the SSS to respect democratic principles and the rule of law.
Responding to inquiries from PREMIUM TIMES, one senior SSS officer admitted that the arrest was a mistake, apologised for the incident, and confirmed that the journalists had been released.
The officers also disclosed that all personnel involved in the incident had been identified and that disciplinary action was already underway in compliance with the directive of the SSS Director-General.
A pattern of intimidation
The SSS, one of Nigeria’s leading intelligence and security agencies, has frequently faced criticism over the arrest, detention, and harassment of journalists reporting on politically sensitive or 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 constitutional right remains weak, allowing security agencies to act without accountability.
Critics of the SSS often accuse the agency of misusing laws such as the Cybercrime Act and other regulations to silence dissent and suppress independent journalism.
In August 2024, former BBC editor Adejuwon Soyinka was detained by the SSS at Lagos Airport after returning from the United Kingdom, reportedly due to a watchlist error. He was released after six hours of interrogation, though his passport was temporarily seized. The SSS later described the incident as a case of mistaken identity.
Similarly, in May 2024, Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reporter Daniel Ojukwu was detained for over a week under the Cybercrime Act after publishing a report alleging misconduct by a senior government official.
In another case, freelance journalist Abdulrasheed Hammad was reportedly detained in Sokoto in August 2024 after investigating unregistered sachet water factories operating without regulatory approval. His arrest was allegedly ordered by the factory owner exposed in his report.
