WATCH THE VIDEO HERE INVESTIGATIVE journalist Fisayo Soyombo has stated that he did not involve the Nigerian military in his recent investigation into crude oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, citing concerns that some security operatives are complicit with the bunkerers. Soyombo was recently detained by the Nigerian Army for three days, with the military claiming he was arrested during a raid on an illegal bunkering site in the region. He was released after social media highlighted his detention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. In an interview, Soyombo explained that he refrained from collaborating with the military due to allegations of some personnel’s involvement in the bunkering operations. “The key point is that illegal oil bunkerers bribe security operatives across various agencies to facilitate their activities,” he said. “That’s the real issue—those who should be stopping bunkering are actually partners and collaborators, which is why I chose not to involve the military.” To emphasize his concerns, Soyombo noted that his identity was revealed to the illegal bunkerers by military personnel. “They knew everything about me while I was in detention, without speaking to anyone else. In fact, they didn’t allow me to make calls until just before my release on Friday evening. So, how did the illegal bunkerers have all this information? This further confirms my decision to exclude the army from the beginning,” he explained. While he has implicated certain military personnel in the bunkering operations, Soyombo acknowledged that there are individuals within the military who genuinely want to combat illegal oil bunkering. Soyombo is known for his bold investigative work, including undercover investigations at Ikoyi Correctional Centre and Nigeria Customs, among others.
Why I didn’t carry military along during my oil bunkering investigation – Soyombo
