By Joke Kujenya
AFTER FOUR whole decades of being flagged by state security, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, a longtime media rights advocate and Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), has been officially removed from the watchlist of Nigeria’s Department of State Security (DSS).
The Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) confirmed the development during the 3rd Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit held in Abeokuta.
The summit, organised by Journalism Clinic, brought together media proprietors and senior editorial leaders.
President of IPI Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, announced the news, revealing that DSS Director-General Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi conveyed the agency’s decision to the institute during a recent engagement.
“The DSS decision followed a sustained and intensive campaign by IPI Nigeria to get Arogundade’s name removed from the watchlist,” said Mojeed. “
The renewed campaign became necessary when, despite previous assurances, Arogundade’s name remained listed.”
Arogundade’s inclusion on the watchlist had spanned successive governments and security regimes, originating from his activism in the 1980s.
As president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) between 1984 and 1985, he came under scrutiny during the country’s military rule.
What followed was a long history of profiling, with repeated incidents of harassment by state agents.
Among the most visible episodes was his brief detention at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, reinforcing concerns about civil liberties and press freedom.
Reacting to the development, IPI Nigeria welcomed the DSS’s action and commended the agency for finally resolving the long-standing issue.
Legal adviser and chairman of IPI Nigeria’s advocacy committee, Tobi Soniyi, noted that the announcement received wide applause from media executives at the summit.
A visibly moved Arogundade, who was present at the gathering, expressed his deep appreciation to IPI Nigeria, his family, and all those who championed the cause.
He noted that his removal marks a significant moment in the push for institutional accountability, with renewed calls among media advocates for vigilance and reform to prevent similar blacklisting in the future.
