PRNigeria Fellowship: Soyombo Charges Young Journalists to Uphold Ethics, Public Interest and Safety
Renowned investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has advised aspiring journalists to put public interest, ethical responsibility, and personal safety at the centre of their investigative work, stressing that journalism must ultimately help make Nigeria a better and safer society.
Soyombo gave the charge on Wednesday during an interactive session with participants of the 2026 PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship (PYCF) in Kano, where he shared insights from his undercover investigations and highlighted the importance of courage, meticulous planning, verification and professional discipline.
Widely celebrated for his undercover reports exposing corruption, institutional failures and human rights abuses, Soyombo said investigative journalism should go beyond sensationalism to uncover wrongdoing, promote accountability and protect the public.
“My biggest motivation is public interest. I do what I do to make Nigeria a better and safer place for everyone. If a story does not serve the public, it is not worth the risk,” he said.
Soyombo recounted how he spent five days in police detention and eight days as an inmate at Ikoyi Prison while investigating corruption within Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The investigation exposed alleged irregularities involving law enforcement and correctional officials, drawing national attention to systemic weaknesses.
He also discussed his recent reporting on irregular migration through the Sahara Desert, describing the dangers migrants face and the value of firsthand reporting in understanding complex humanitarian issues.
Soyombo cautioned young journalists against confusing courage with recklessness, noting that undercover reporting should only be undertaken when justified by compelling public interest and supported by adequate safeguards.
“Being courageous in this field does not amount to being careless or venturing into reports without an adequate plan. Before any investigation, you must do a thorough risk assessment and have a mitigation strategy. Courage without planning is just recklessness,” he warned.
He urged journalists to evaluate potential threats, establish safety arrangements and understand the legal and ethical implications of their methods. Every investigation, he said, must begin with a clearly defined public interest question and be supported by credible evidence, thorough documentation and independent verification.
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In a related session, AbdulRahman AbdulRaheem, Managing Editor of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), introduced fellows to the fundamentals of professional speechwriting, press release development and effective media communication.
He explained the essential elements of compelling speeches and credible press statements, including clarity of purpose, factual accuracy, audience awareness and logical presentation. He also examined media laws, professional ethics and the responsibilities of journalists and public relations practitioners in handling sensitive information.
“You must uphold professionalism at all times and take lessons from what Fisayo has shared, particularly on preparation, credibility and resilience,” AbdulRaheem told the fellows.
Earlier, PRNigeria Editor in Chief and IMPR CEO, Yushau A. Shuaib, commended Soyombo for his contributions to investigative journalism and his commitment to exposing societal wrongdoing through immersive reporting.
“His journey is a practical lesson in courage, sacrifice and commitment to truth, which is at the heart of what we do at PRNigeria,” Shuaib said.
He explained that the fellowship was designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional practice by exposing participants to experienced journalists, communication specialists and public relations experts. The programme emphasises ethical journalism, strategic communication, fact checking, digital literacy, crisis communication, open source intelligence and responsible use of artificial intelligence in media practice.
Introduced in 2024, the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship is a professional capacity building initiative that identifies and nurtures promising young journalists and communication practitioners. The programme operates through three regional centres in Abuja, Ilorin and Kano, offering classroom instruction, practical assignments, mentorship and interaction with industry experts.
For the 2026 edition, 30 fellows were selected from 691 applications nationwide, with 10 participants assigned to each centre. The Kano cohort represents the final phase of this year’s fellowship.
By the end of the 2026 programme, the initiative will have trained approximately 90 young communicators across its three editions.
The interactive session with Soyombo gave fellows a rare opportunity to engage directly with an experienced investigative journalist and examine the ethical, professional, and personal considerations involved in reporting matters of significant public concern.
Organisers reaffirmed that the fellowship will continue to promote responsible journalism, innovative communication practices and the development of a new generation of media professionals equipped to navigate Nigeria’s rapidly evolving information landscape.
By PRNigeria
