Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Award -winning investigative journalist , ‘ Fisayo Soyombo , has been named winner of the Local Reporter category of the 2020 Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism .
Soyombo won the award for his undercover investigation on Nigeria ’ s criminal justice system after five attempts .
The freelance journalist spent two weeks in detention — five days in a Police cell and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison — to track corruption in Nigeria ’ s criminal justice system .
The judges including a Pulitzer Prize- winning author and journalist , Tina Rosenberg ; CNN’ s Chief International Anchor, Christiane Amanpour; and BBC ’ s Middle East Editor , Jeremy Bown , commended Soyombo ’ s “ vivid and compelling three – part series” which exposed “ the everyday corruption and abuses of Nigeria ’ s criminal justice system ” .
Speaking with The PUNCH on the award, Soyombo said he is challenged to produce more quality works .
“ I feel honoured. The qualities of Schork are such that anyone who wins his award should feel honoured. I don’ t think any bravery in journalistic term can be bigger than this , ” he enthused.
“ I also feel a weight of responsibilities because there will be more scrutiny on my works and people will want to see if I am consistent enough . I feel that weight of responsibility to continue to produce quality journalistic works , ” he stated.
Soyombo added that the biggest ambition as an investigative journalist is impact and urged the Nigerian authorities to start the reform of the prisons.
In the past, Soyombo had been short- listed for the Kurt Schork awards, which recognise excellence in courageous reporting of conflict , corruption, human rights transgressions and other related issues.
Pakistani journalist Shah Meer Baloch and Syrian journalist Kamiran Sadoun were also named winners of two other categories — Freelance and the recently- introduced News Fixer award — respectively .
The three winners will each receive a cash prize of US $5000.
The latest international recognition for Soyombo is a continuation of a stellar year for the investigative journalist , who , this year alone , has either won or been short- listed for the Fetisov Journalism Awards ( Outstanding Investigation category) , the West Africa Media Excellence Award ( Investigative Reporting category) , the WJP Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism , the One World Media Awards
( International Journalist of the Year category ) and the People Journalism Prize for Africa .
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