PHOTO: Nigerian Youth Arrested For Advertising T-shirts Supporting Nationwide Protests
The Department of State Services (DSS) in Nigeria has been accused of arresting an individual named Bashir Abubakar in Kano.
The arrest is reportedly related to Abubakar’s advertisement of T-shirts supporting the upcoming nationwide protests against economic hardship.
However, the DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, denied the allegation when contacted on Sunday.
“It is not true. It is not true,” he said in a message sent to our reporter.
#RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the immediate release of Abubakar in a message on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
“The lawless @OfficialDSSNG has begun inciting the public to riot even before the D-Day, early this morning they arrested a young man Bashir Abubakar in Kano.
“His offence was that he advertised that he’s made T-shirts for the upcoming protests. Earlier another young activist was sent to prison in Kano for posting about the protest. The @OfficialDSSNG must release Abubakar immediately,” the former African Action Congress presidential candidate said on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, it was reported that Junaidu Abdullahi, a well-known TikTok creator, Junaidu Abdullahi, who goes by the handle Abusalma, had been arrested and remanded in prison custody.
His arrest came after he posted a viral video calling for widespread protests against the country’s economic hardship.
According to reports, security agents detained Abusalma on Wednesday and transported him to Abuja, where he was subsequently arraigned in court and remanded in Kano prison.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International Nigeria has expressed concern over the arrest and detention of Abusalma for posting a video calling for mass protests against economic hardship in the country.
The organisation called for his immediate and unconditional release, stating that the government’s primary focus should be on addressing the economic challenges faced by millions of people, rather than stifling critical voices.
Amnesty International Nigeria on Saturday night emphasised that the government’s priority should be to implement urgent and effective measures to alleviate the suffering of those affected by poverty, malnutrition, and starvation, rather than suppressing dissenting voices.
