Human rights lawyer Aloy Ejimakor has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to release journalist and media aide Zainab Sodiq, arguing that Nigerian laws do not make it a criminal offence to travel with a drone.
The appeal follows the detention of Sodiq, who works closely with activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore. Her arrest has triggered reactions from legal experts, rights groups and political associates, who have questioned the circumstances surrounding the case.
Ejimakor publicly criticised the security agency’s decision, describing the action as excessive and unnecessary. In his statement, the lawyer maintained that possession of a standard commercial drone should not automatically attract criminal sanctions.
“I hereby appeal to the DG DSS to free Zainab Sodiq,” Ejimakor said.
He added, “She is not a criminal by the mere possession of an ordinary commercial drone, which is rampant amongst videographers in Nigeria. Her arrest comes across as an overkill against Sowore.”
The controversy began after Sodiq reportedly travelled to Abuja to recover a drone that had earlier been confiscated by security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. According to accounts from her associates, she had been instructed by a DSS official to retrieve the equipment but later became unreachable after arriving in the Federal Capital Territory.
Following public criticism and reports of her disappearance, the DSS confirmed that the journalist was in its custody and said investigations were ongoing. The agency stated that Sodiq had been intercepted at the Lagos airport on July 6 while attempting to travel with an unmanned aerial vehicle without an End User Certificate, a document the agency says is required under regulations issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In an official statement, the DSS said Sodiq was stopped by Aviation Security personnel working alongside its operatives and was questioned over the absence of the required authorisation documents.
According to the agency, she was later allowed to continue her journey to Abuja because of prior commitments but was directed to report for further questioning. The security service insisted that the investigation was linked to regulations governing the acquisition and operation of drones in Nigeria and broader concerns over public safety and national security.
The detention has, however, drawn criticism from civil society groups and press freedom advocates.
Amnesty International joined calls for Sodiq’s release, describing her continued detention as “a blatant abuse of power” and warning against the use of administrative regulations to hinder legitimate journalistic activities.
“The Department of State Services must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Zainab Sodiq,” the organisation said in a statement.
Amnesty further argued that restrictions affecting journalists must comply with constitutional guarantees of free expression and international human rights standards. The group urged Nigerian authorities not to misuse drone regulations in ways that could obstruct media work.
Political allies of Sowore and members of the African Action Congress have also accused the DSS of targeting individuals associated with the former presidential candidate, allegations the security agency has not officially addressed.
As debate continues over the scope of Nigeria’s drone regulations, legal experts and rights advocates are expected to closely monitor the case, which has raised fresh questions about press freedom, due process and the balance between national security and civil liberties in the country.
We all want freedom, but we can’t continue to flout the law or disobey regulations and claim victimhood. Those in the public eye especially must always be above board.