Sam Ogun: How a Nigerian journalist turned CIA spy
In 1976, Sam Ogun, a Nigerian freelance journalist, confessed to how he spied on Nigeria for the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for nearly 10 years. He spoke with DRUM magazine.
Read the summary of his interview:
His work began in the early 1960s when he acted as an “information officer” for the American Motion Picture Export Company.
His handler, an American film distributor known as Jack, paid him to write reviews of foreign films published in local newspapers and forwarded to New York. That was how he was first placed on a payroll.
In 1965, Sam met a new handler, Andrew, a staff member in the political section of the US Embassy in Lagos. They held meetings at secret offices in Victoria Island and Lagos Island.
Andrew assigned him tasks: go to the University of Lagos to find out what the students’ union is up to, photograph foreign diplomats and their Nigerian contacts, attend public lectures and record speeches.
READ ALSO: The tragic fate of Christine Granville, World War II’s most decorated female spy
Sam said he did not realise he was being used as a spy until 1968, when he was asked to sign an oath pledging not to reveal secrets of the United States government.
He was trained to use a camera and a pocket-sized tape recorder designed for espionage.
His targets included foreign diplomats, trade unionists, journalists, civil servants, and students.
Colleagues grew suspicious and accused him of working for the CIA, MI5, and the KGB, accusations he consistently denied at the time.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Journalists Condemn Killing of Journalists in Gaza
Sam later retired as a spy and confessed, saying, “I found out by myself the evil the CIA had been doing to Africa.”
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
