Fisayo Soyombo - Knowledge (XXG)

134:. He is best known, among other things, for being the Nigerian undercover journalist who spent five days in a police cell as a suspect and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison — to track corruption in Nigeria's criminal justice system, after which the authorities contemplated arresting him. He was also the journalist who drove the equivalent of a stolen vehicle from Abuja to Lagos, passing through a whopping 86 checkpoints in a journey of over 1,600 km that lasted a cumulative 28hours 17minutes. 355:

amputated after he was shot by Boko Haram and had been begging the Army for a prosthesis for 44 months, eventually got a befitting prosthesis. Also, a number of soldiers who lost their hearing on the battlefield received hearing aids and were discharged from the hospital. Soyombo identifies the gifting of a befitting prosthesis to Nwibani as the "most fulfilling moment" of his journalism career.

520:, had died. However, Ajimobi's family quickly debunked the claim, stating that the former governor was still on life support. Soyombo came under fire for refusing to recant tweets, instead he tweeted an update that his "trusted source insists the former governor is gone even though he still has not been disconnected from life support". 540:, United Kingdom where he will undertake research on "the rise of a willing army against the truth — the practice of drowning out a genuine work of journalism with coordinated media campaigns that confuse unsuspecting members of the public, consequently leaving the authenticity of the story in tatters". 340:

In July 2019, one month after leaving SaharaReporters, Soyombo went under cover, spending two weeks in detention — five days in a police cell and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison — to track corruption in Nigeria's criminal justice system. To experience the workings of the system in its raw state,

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His most impactful investigation till date is the five-part series 'Forgotten Soldiers', a hard-won exploration of the soldiers who got injured fighting Boko Haram on the battlefield but were abandoned by the Army and the government. After the story, Johnson Nwibani, a soldier who whose leg was

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He did an undercover report titled "With N46,000 bribe, I drove a 'stolen' car from Abuja to Lagos, and back!" published in May 2018 on the newspaper's website. Soyombo reported that over two days, he drove an equivalent of a stolen vehicle from Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to Lagos without being

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In 2019, he went undercover to reveal the rampant corruption in Nigeria's justice system, focusing on the police and the prison service. Soyombo spent days at the Pedro Police Station, Shomolu, Lagos, under the cover name "Ojo Olajumoke". He also spent eight days at the Ikoyi Prison in Lagos.

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Soyombo had a short editorial stint at the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR). He did the investigative report titled "Filth, stench, bribery, corruption at Nigerian mortuaries and cemeteries" which revealed the poor state and corruption in mortuaries in the country.

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announced at its launch that it would be "strong in business and politics", Soyombo introduced investigative reporting to the platform, beginning with his December 2015 investigation into corruption at Nigeria's biggest seaport.

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He spent a year at the Federal University of Agriculture, Alabata, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in 2003, before proceeding to the University of Ibadan in 2004 to study agriculture, eventually graduating with a B. Agric. in Animal Science.

185:, with whom he would later develop a mentee-mentor relationship. In recent years, Soyombo has publicly cited Anikulapo several times as the first of his two mentors and "probably the biggest influence on my journalism career". 292:

then reported that there were plans by the Nigerian security forces to arrest Soyombo, forcing him to go into hiding for some time. The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) immediately denied making any attempt to arrest him.

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In January and February 2021, he published 'Portraits of Blood', the only attempt by any journalist to list the casualty toll from the bullets unleashed by the Army on protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza on October 20, 2020.

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as president. After winning five awards — two from UCJ, two from Mellamby Hall Press and one from Indy Hall Press, one of MHPO's biggest rivals — he was selected by the UCJ to intern at

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The following month, Soyombo went under cover again, this time spending 10 days as a patient at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, colloquially known as 'Yaba Left'.

150:, the capital of the state, where he studied at Lawson's Childcare Nursery and Primary School, Labso Nursery and Primary School, and African Church Grammar School, Ita-Iyalode, Owu. 341:

Soyombo — adopting the pseudonym Ojo Olajumoke — feigned an offence for which he was arrested and detained in police custody, arraigned in court and eventually remanded in prison.

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In his first year at the University of Ibadan, Soyombo became active in the campus press, joining both Mellanby Hall Press organization (MHPO) and the

947: 329: 231:, initially arriving as the founding News and Feature Editor before earning promotion within a month to become the Founding Editor. After leaving 125: 84: 1656: 344:

When the story was published in October, the government mulled arresting him — until Twitter campaign #KeepFisayoSafe forced back their hands.

1349: 972: 422: 898:"UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (I): Bribery, bail for sale... Lagos police station where innocent civilians are held and criminals are recycled" 486: 1707: 1177: 998: 1783: 873:"INTERVIEW: I left editorship for investigative reporting with the recklessness and innocence of a child playing with sand, says Soyombo" 1606: 1301: 1124: 1099: 671: 504: 296:

This led to the birth of the Twitter hashtag #KeepFisayoSafe where journalists and other Nigerians demanded his protection from harm.

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in January 2017, he joined the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) as the Editor, from where he joined

1632:"UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (I): Bed-space corruption, terrible food, well-fed rats... Many things not right at 'Yaba Left'" 516:

On Thursday, June 18, 2020, Soyombo wrote on his verified Twitter account @fisayosoyombo that former Oyo State Governor,

1530: 215:, Soyombo moved to 'Jobmag', a human resource magazine briefly published by The JobMag Centre, and from there he joined 193: 1582:"UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (II): Drug abuse, sodomy, bribery, pimping... The cash-and-carry operations of Ikoyi Prisons" 999:"Investigative journalist 'Fisayo Soyombo reports on undercover mission to expose corruption in Nigerian police system" 923:"UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (II): Drug abuse, sodomy, bribery, pimping... The cash-and-carry operations of Ikoyi Prisons" 1203: 1844: 1074: 163: 1732: 264: 263:'s first editor in April 2014. During this period, he disguised as a clearing agent to reveal the decay in the 121: 66: 432:

Bribery, bail for sale... Lagos police station where innocent civilians are held and criminals are recycled

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UNDERCOVER: In Borno, children are dying at IDP camps, foodstuffs are 'disappearing' at SEMA store

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At the end of the one-year service in February 2011 and with no permanent employment available at

320:. He left the newspaper after a year to continue working as a freelance investigative reporter. 208: 1274: 973:"REPORTER'S DIARY: With N46,000 Bribe, I drove a 'stolen' car from Abuja to Lagos, and back!" 948:"'Keep Soyombo safe' -- Nigerians seek protection for journalist who exposed rot in prisons" 699:

REPORTER'S DIARY: With N46,000 bribe, I drove a 'stolen' car from Abuja to Lagos, and back!

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Annual Global Youth Essay Contest. In April 2022, Soyombo was named as a 2022 Fellow of the

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Bed-space corruption, terrible food, well-fed rats... Many things not right at 'Yaba Left'

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PORTRAITS OF BLOOD (II): Names, photos, videos – how Lekki #EndSARS protesters were shot

1375:"We've No Intention Of Arresting Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo -Prisons Boss" 1230:"Nigerian journalist under threat of arrest for exposé of police and prison corruption" 517: 1427:"Arrest threat: Nigerians seek protection of investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo" 1833: 1350:"Nigerian authorities plan to arrest Fisayo Soyombo over undercover investigations" 316:

In May 2018, Soyombo was announced as the managing editor of the online newspaper,

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In 2020, Soyombo founded the not-for-profit investigative journalism organisation

1557:"FIJ: New Media Platform Breaks Into Industry With #EndSARS Investigative Series" 1809:"Nigerian investigative journalist, Soyombo, wins prestigious Oxford fellowship" 1784:"'Fisayo Soyombo selected for Reuters Institute fellowship at Oxford University" 1531:"This journalist wants to raise the bar for investigative reporting in Nigeria" 825:

Undercover Investigation: Nigeria's Customs of Corruption, Bribery and Forgery

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Undercover Investigation: Nigeria's Customs of Corruption, Bribery and Forgery

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Undercover Investigation: Nigeria's Customs of Corruption, Bribery and Forgery

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Undercover Investigation: Nigeria's Customs of Corruption, Bribery and Forgery

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ARROWS OF GOD: One of Nigeria's Biggest Orphanages Is Trading Babies for Cash

271: 143: 95: 1607:"Prison authorities to investigate Fisayo Soyombo's Ikoyi prison allegations" 1302:"Prison authorities to investigate Fisayo Soyombo's Ikoyi prison allegations" 207:, a pro-local content oil and gas magazine founded by Taijo Wonukabe, led by 1023: 1400: 1505:"Nigerian newsrooms are using these strategies to combat media repression" 1733:"Investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo insists Abiola Ajimobi is dead" 410:

With N46,000 bribe, I drove a 'stolen' car from Abuja to Lagos, and back!

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Karpoor Chandra Kulish International Award for Excellence in Journalism

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Filth, stench, bribery, corruption at Nigerian mortuaries and cemeteries

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By the end of 2017, he left his position as the editor and started

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WJP Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism

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