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September 4, 2024
He believes that the authorities are making desperate attempts to involve him in a criminal investigation in order to undermine his international refugee status and potentially place him on an Interpol notice list.
Nigerian investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, has revealed why the Nigeria Police Force declared him wanted and labelled him as an accomplice in the trial of whistleblower Isaac Bristol Tamunobifiri, identified by Nigerian authorities as PIDOMNigeria.
Hundeyin in an interview with News Central TV on Wednesday, said that the police accusation was tied to his commitment to truth-telling, which the current administration views as a threat.
He believes that the authorities are making desperate attempts to involve him in a criminal investigation in order to undermine his international refugee status and potentially place him on an Interpol notice list.
Hundeyin also revealed that in 2023, the National Intelligence Agency made several attempts to abduct him abroad after he exposed the misconduct of high-ranking government officials.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Nigeria Police Force linked Hundeyin and Michael Alade to PIDOM, in an alleged cybercrime case.
During a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed SaharaReporters’ report that PIDOMNigeria's arrest followed a petition from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Speaking during the interview, Hundeyin said, "There were several attempts by the National Intelligence Agency to abduct me. They also tried to render me stateless. I even tried to change my country twice.
“There was an attempt to abduct me from Ghana; then I had to move to Kenya; and when they came for me in Kenya, I ran to the United Kingdom.
“This is part of the price you pay when you decide to tell the truth during a time when it wasn't fashionable, especially under a regime that sees truth-telling as a threat."
When asked if he was aware that he had been declared an accomplice in PIDOM’s trial, Hundeyin mentioned that he had anticipated this and decided to go public.
He became suspicious after the whistleblower's X account contacted him and after his devices were hacked, leading him to believe that the authorities were trying to entangle him in a criminal investigation to discredit him.
"The attempts to hack my devices, which led to me replacing them, made it clear that something was going on that I didn’t want to be involved in.
“I suspected that this was a state security effort to rope me into a criminal investigation, discredit my international refugee status, and target political opponents like myself and PIDOM. This is something that Nigeria, and other countries, are likely to do."
Hundeyin continued, "As I suspected, they named me a suspect in an ongoing criminal investigation, likely to create a narrative that would justify putting me on an Interpol notice list, making it more difficult for me to travel and giving the impression that they are closing in on me.
“As you know, getting hold of David Hundeyin is one of the top security priorities for the Nigerian establishment, even more so than dealing with terrorists flaunting ransom on TikTok."
Regarding PIDOM's condition, Hundeyin alleged that the whistleblower was sprayed with a toxic substance while in FCID detention, causing severe breathing difficulties. "He cannot breathe properly; you can hear it in his voice. Clearly, something is wrong with him," Hundeyin emphasised.