The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Mr. Tony Ezimakor, the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Daily Independent newspapers after a week in detention.

All through the period of his detention, civil rights groups and other pressure groups and organizations had mounted pressure on the DSS demanding it to release the journalist unconditionally or charge him to court.

Ezimakor had honoured an invitation by the DSS on Wednesday last week but was detained and rendered incommunicado while Jide Oyekunle, his photo journalist who accompanied him there was allowed to leave after hours of interrogation.

Ezimakor in a leaked video footage shortly before his release claimed the DSS had vowed not to free him until he disclosed the source of the story he wrote on Boko Haram which highlighted the role allegedly played by the Swiss government in the release of some of the abducted Chibok girls.

The journalist had maintained that he would not divulge the identity of his source while the management of the Daily Independent  asked the agency to charge Ezimakor to court.

However, the Department finally released  Ezimakor from its custody at around 10:30 pm on Tuesday in the presence of his lawyer, Mr Douglas Ekhator.