Why is investigative journalism treated worse than terrorism by Nigerian government – David Hundeyin
David Hundeyin, a Nigerian investigative journalist, has explained the reasons behind the Nigeria Police Force’s decision to declare him wanted and label him as an accomplice in the case involving whistleblower Isaac Bristol Tamunobifiri, known as PIDOMNigeria to Nigerian authorities.
In an interview with News Central TV on Wednesday, Hundeyin attributed the police accusations to his commitment to exposing the truth, which he believes the current administration perceives as a threat.
Hundeyin suspects that the authorities are trying to drag him into a criminal investigation as part of a broader strategy to undermine his international refugee status and possibly place him on an Interpol notice list.
He also disclosed that in 2023, the National Intelligence Agency made several attempts to abduct him while he was abroad after he exposed misconduct by high-ranking government officials.
According to SaharaReporters, the Nigeria Police Force has connected Hundeyin and Michael Alade to PIDOM in relation to an alleged cybercrime case.
During a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed that PIDOMNigeria’s arrest followed a petition from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
In the interview, Hundeyin revealed, “The National Intelligence Agency made multiple attempts to abduct me and even tried to render me stateless. I had to relocate twice—first from Ghana to Kenya, and when they pursued me there, I moved to the United Kingdom.”
He explained that these efforts were part of the price for his truth-telling during a time when such actions were deemed dangerous, particularly under a regime that views truth-telling as a threat.
Hundeyin admitted he had anticipated being implicated and chose to make his situation public. He grew suspicious when PIDOM’s X account reached out to him and his devices were hacked, leading him to believe the authorities were attempting to entangle him in a criminal case to discredit him.
“The hacking attempts on my devices, which led to me replacing them, indicated that something was amiss,” Hundeyin said. “I suspected that this was a state security effort to involve me in a criminal probe, undermine my international refugee status, and target political adversaries like myself and PIDOM. This is a tactic that might be employed by Nigeria and other countries.”
He continued, “As I suspected, they have branded me a suspect in an ongoing investigation, likely to justify placing me on an Interpol notice list. This move would complicate my travels and give the appearance that they are closing in on me. For the Nigerian establishment, apprehending David Hundeyin seems to be a higher priority than dealing with terrorists flaunting ransoms on TikTok.”
Regarding PIDOM’s condition, Hundeyin alleged that the whistleblower had been exposed to a toxic substance while in detention at the FCID, resulting in severe breathing difficulties. “He struggles to breathe properly, and you can hear it in his voice. Clearly, something is seriously wrong with him,” Hundeyin emphasized.
