The Department of State Services, DSS has reportedly arrested one Aliyu Sanusi in Sama Road area of Sokoto, the state capital
Sanusi is accused of printing and distributing materials related to upcoming hardship protests.
DAILY GIST reports that the nationwide protest is slated to commence by August 1st.
The news of Sanusi’s arrest was revealed by SaharaReporters founder, Omoyele Sowore on his X page on Tuesday.
Sowore, known for leading the #RevolutionNow movement and his candidacy in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections under the African Action Congress (AAC), has called for Sanusi’s immediate release. He criticized the DSS for their actions, labeling them as “lawless.”
“The lawless @OfficialDSSNG has arrested Aliyu Sanusi for printing and distributing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria materials in Sokoto state.
He was arrested yesterday evening from the Sama Road Area in Sokoto. The DSS is directed to release Aliyu Sanusi immediately,” Sowore stated in his post.
This arrest follows the recent release of another young Nigerian, Bashir Abubakar, who had been detained in Kano for his involvement in promoting a planned nationwide protest against economic hardship.
According to Barrister Harun Magashi, Abubakar’s lawyer and Sowore’s former running mate in the 2023 elections, the DSS had instructed Abubakar to return the T-shirts he had printed for the protest before releasing him on Monday.
The actions of the DSS have drawn criticism from various quarters, with calls for the immediate release of individuals detained for exercising their right to protest.
