Meta Restores FIJ’s Facebook Page, Admits Takedown Was ‘Mistake’

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has reinstated the page of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Social Justice (FIJ) after admitting its suspension was a mistake.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the page was taken offline on Sunday, with Meta citing “cybersecurity” concerns.

However, in a message to FIJ on Friday, the company said, “We found that our technology made a mistake suspending your page. Our priority is keeping the community safe and respectful, so sometimes we have to take precautions.”

FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo, disclosed this on his personal Facebook page on Friday. He wrote: “Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has reinstated FIJ Nigeria, the Facebook page of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Social Justice (FIJ), claiming the takedown was “a mistake”.”

FIJ rejected Meta’s initial claim of a cybersecurity violation and filed an appeal, insisting the platform’s rules did not apply to its operations. They described the suspension as part of a broader attempt to silence its reporting.

It recalled that on August 21, its website was forced offline after cyberattacks traced to the headquarters of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The Facebook takedown also coincided with mounting pressure from Nigerian security agencies.

This week, police intensified a crackdown on FIJ staff. On Tuesday, senior reporter Sodeeq Atanda was detained and questioned for 11 hours before being released.

Barely an hour later, FIJ founder and editor-in-chief, Fisayo Soyombo, received a police summons.

A letter signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Musa Hadi, head of the State Intelligence Department (SID) in Ekiti, directed Soyombo to appear on September 15 concerning an investigation.

According to FIJ, the police probe is linked to its investigative reports exposing sexual misconduct allegations against Prof. Abayomi Fasina, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), who is currently on leave.