TheCable

Lanre Arogundade, director of the International Press Centre (IPC), was, on Thursday, reportedly detained by officers attached to the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to Arogundade, he had just arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, from The Gambia, when he was detained by DSS operatives around 3:30pm.

The IPC director said he had gone to Banjul, The Gambia capital, to train journalists on conflict-sensitive reporting.

Arogundade also said his passport was seized.

“This is me at the DSS office at the International Airport Lagos where I’m being held or detained against my wish,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“I have just returned from Banjul where I went to train Gambian journalists on conflict-sensitive journalism.

“Ever since the days of military rule, I get molested by DSS and Immigration at the airport. This nonsense has to stop!”

It isn’t yet clear why he was detained and the DSS is yet to officially comment on the development.

However, not long after, he was said to have been released.

Arogundade also confirmed his release on his Facebook page, adding that his passport was also returned.

“To all… thanks. My passport has been returned by the DSS and I’m now leaving the airport despite arriving since 3:30pm. I will update further,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Femi Falana, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has described the DSS action as “illegal”.

In a statement issued prior to Arogundade’s release, Falana said the IPC director isn’t on the country’s watchlist nor did he commit any offence in The Gambia “to warrant his arrest and detention by security operatives in Nigeria”.

“The harassment cannot be justified,” he added.