The name of veteran journalist and Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, has been officially removed from the Department of State Security’s (DSS) watchlist after nearly four decades of surveillance and harassment.
This announcement was made on Tuesday by the President of the Nigerian Chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI), Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, during the 3rd Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The summit was convened by The Journalism Clinic, led by media mentor and veteran journalist Taiwo Obe, and attended by leading media owners and editors from across the country.
According to Mr. Mojeed, the development was communicated to IPI Nigeria by the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, during a recent engagement between the institute and the intelligence agency.
The removal of Mr. Arogundade’s name follows a persistent and sustained advocacy campaign by IPI Nigeria, which intensified its efforts after earlier assurances by the DSS failed to yield results.
“For about 40 years, Mr. Arogundade endured repeated harassment, including detentions, especially at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos,” Mr. Mojeed said. “His name being on the DSS watchlist caused years of unwarranted embarrassment to him and his family.”
Mr. Arogundade’s inclusion on the list dates back to Nigeria’s military era, when he served as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) between 1984 and 1985 — a period marked by student activism and military repression.
At the Abeokuta summit, the announcement was met with applause from media executives and industry stakeholders. An emotional Mr. Arogundade, also present at the summit, expressed his deep appreciation to IPI Nigeria for its tireless efforts, noting that the development brings closure to a long and painful chapter for him and his family.
IPI Nigeria welcomed the DSS decision and commended the Service for taking the right step in correcting a historic injustice.
