The Nigerian Army has clarified its position on the recent arrest and detention of Plateau State-based human rights and conflict journalist Lawrence Zongo.
The journalist was reportedly arrested on Monday, October 5, 2026, after allegedly visiting a military medical facility in Jos to see relatives who were receiving treatment for injuries sustained in an attack in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
Global non-governmental human rights organisation, Amnesty International raised the alarm in a statement on Wednesday, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Zongo, who is also a volunteer reporter with the organisation.
According to Amnesty International, Zongo was arrested at a military hospital within the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, the headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division in Jos, while visiting his relatives, who were receiving treatment following the attack. The organisation said he had been held incommunicado since then.
The organisation noted that since Zongo’s arrest and alleged unlawful detention, all efforts to gain access to him had been denied by the Army authorities, in utter disregard for due process.
“Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention of our member in Plateau State, Mr Lawrence Zongo, who has been unlawfully detained incommunicado in military detention in Jos since Monday. Mr Zongo must either be handed over to civil authorities or immediately released,” the organisation said.
However, reacting to the controversy surrounding the journalist’s arrest, the Army, in a statement on Friday, said Zongo was arrested after gaining unauthorised access to the military facility without proper clearance from the relevant authorities.
The Army also dismissed insinuations that Zongo was released following pressure from various quarters, insisting that it was not under any pressure to release the journalist.
In the statement, which was shared on social media by conflict journalist Masara Kim Usman, the Army acknowledged that Zongo was arrested after gaining access to a restricted military facility without proper clearance while wearing Meta glasses, which the military considered a security breach.
Writing about Zongo’s release, Kim said: “The pressure from within was for Lawrence to be charged and prosecuted for espionage.
“His eventual release was secured following rigorous, behind-the-scenes interventions, including those by youth leaders such as Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri Mandiks and Ezekiel Bini, who testified and appealed on his behalf, with a commitment to produce him whenever required for further investigation.
“Lawrence was arrested on Monday, October 5, after he visited the military hospital at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment. According to him, he had gone to see relatives who were admitted after sustaining injuries in an attack the previous day.
“However, without clearance from the Army authorities, he walked into the restricted Army headquarters area wearing his Meta glasses and proceeded towards the hospital. When questioned, he identified himself as a volunteer with Amnesty International who had come to see his relatives.
“But when military police at the facility checked with the patients in the hospital, no one claimed to know him. That marked the beginning of his ordeal.
“It is important to note that the Nigerian military has had a series of difficult experiences with AI in the past. And here was its representative inside a restricted facility — reportedly facing terror threats — wearing what appeared to be a spy camera and, according to preliminary reports, claiming relatives who could not be verified. He will clarify these points himself in due course.
“What is worth noting for now is that, regardless of whether Lawrence had legitimate reasons to be at the facility, the circumstances of his arrest were different from those of any other human rights case we have seen.
“Instead of pursuing dialogue and negotiation, Amnesty International issued threats, which caused the Army authorities to tighten their hold on the case and move towards prosecution.
“Lawrence was scheduled to be transferred to Abuja on October 9. However, following interventions by various groups and individuals working behind the scenes, he was released on the condition that the investigation into his claims would continue and that he might be required for further investigation at any time.
“This clarification has become necessary to correct the impression that he was released after days of pressure. This is particularly important so that his already precarious situation is not worsened.”
‘Why we arrested Amnesty International reporter’ – Nigerian Army