Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Aliyu Sanusi in Sokoto State.
Mr Sanusi was accused of printing and distributing materials related to the upcoming economic hardship protests.
He was taken into custody on Monday evening. Sanusi’s arrest was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, who shared the details on his social media handle.
Sowore, who is the publisher of Sahara Reporters known for leading the #RevolutionNow movement has called for Sanusi’s immediate release.
He berated 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.
Meanwhile, 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.
