The journalist was reportedly arrested on Monday, October 5, 2026, after allegedly visiting a army medical facility in Jos to see family members who had been receiving remedy for accidents sustained in an assault in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
Global non-governmental human rights organisation, Amnesty International raised the alarm in a press release on Wednesday, demanding the rapid and unconditional launch of Zongo, who can be a volunteer reporter with the organisation.
According to Amnesty International, Zongo was arrested at a army hospital inside the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, the headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division in Jos, whereas visiting his family members, who had been receiving remedy following the assault. The organisation stated he had been held incommunicado since then.
“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 stated.
However, reacting to the controversy surrounding the journalist’s arrest, the Army, in a press release on Friday, stated Zongo was arrested after gaining unauthorised entry to the army facility with out correct clearance from the related authorities.
The Army additionally dismissed insinuations that Zongo was launched following stress from numerous quarters, insisting that it was not underneath any stress to launch the journalist.
In the assertion, which was shared on social media by battle journalist Masara Kim Usman, the Army acknowledged that Zongo was arrested after having access to a restricted army facility with out correct clearance whereas sporting Meta glasses, which the army thought of a safety breach.
Writing about Zongo’s launch, Kim stated: “The stress from inside was for Lawrence to be charged and prosecuted for espionage.
“His eventual launch was secured following rigorous, behind-the-scenes interventions, together with these by youth leaders resembling Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri Mandiks and Ezekiel Bini, who testified and appealed on his behalf, with a dedication to provide him every time required for additional investigation.
“Lawrence was arrested on Monday, October 5, after he visited the army hospital at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment. According to him, he had gone to see family members who had been admitted after sustaining accidents in an assault the day before today.
“However, with out clearance from the Army authorities, he walked into the restricted Army headquarters space sporting his Meta glasses and proceeded in direction of the hospital. When questioned, he recognized himself as a volunteer with Amnesty International who had come to see his family members.
“But when army police on the facility checked with the sufferers within the hospital, nobody claimed to know him. That marked the start of his ordeal.
“It is essential to notice that the Nigerian army has had a sequence of adverse experiences with AI prior to now. And right here was its consultant inside a restricted facility — reportedly dealing with terror threats — sporting what seemed to be a spy digicam and, in response to preliminary experiences, claiming family members who couldn’t be verified. He will make clear these factors himself in the end.
“What is value noting for now could be that, no matter whether or not Lawrence had professional causes to be on the facility, the circumstances of his arrest had been completely different from these of another human rights case we have seen.
“Instead of pursuing dialogue and negotiation, Amnesty International issued threats, which induced the Army authorities to tighten their maintain on the case and transfer in direction of prosecution.
“Lawrence was scheduled to be transferred to Abuja on October 9. However, following interventions by numerous teams and people working behind the scenes, he was launched on the situation that the investigation into his claims would proceed and that he could be required for additional 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.”
