The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed the detention of a woman identified as Zainab Sodiq after she was intercepted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Sodiq was reportedly attempting to board a flight to Abuja with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and no required authorisation documents.
She was stopped by Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security operatives and DSS officers at the airport on 6 July 2026.
When confronted, Sodiq admitted she did not possess the End-User Certificate (EUC) required under the National Security Adviser (NSA) extant regulations governing the acquisition and use of drones in Nigeria.
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Following due process, Sodiq was permitted to board her scheduled flight to Abuja in view of a prior engagement there but was directed to report to the DSS on Wednesday, 8 July, for the continuation of investigations.
She is currently being held at the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja.
The service said its investigation was necessitated by global and domestic security problems surrounding the unauthorised operation of drones, particularly issues of privacy breaches and safety risks to individuals.
It stated that NSA regulations vest in the DSS the power to impound drones and sanction any individual or corporate entity operating remotely piloted aircraft systems without proper authorisation anywhere in the country.
The DSS reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and adherence to the rule of law.
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