Trader Arrested Over Planned Protest T-shirt
Security agents suspected to be operatives of the State Security Services, SSS, have arrested a trader in Kano, Bashir Yunusa, for displaying T-shirts promoting the planned nationwide protests against hardship in Nigeria.
Mr Yunusa, who is a trader at Kantin Kwari Market in Kano, was allegedly arrested on Friday after posting the branded T-shirt with the caption “End Bad Governance in Nigeria 2024—Arewa Mufarka” [North Arise] on his Facebook page.
According to a Facebook post by Ibrahim Abubakar Usman, he said Mr Yunusa, popularly called Dan Filo, was arrested by the security operatives within the market premises.
“My friend by name Bashir Yunusa [Dan Fillo] is a Kano businessman in the Kwari market and a degree holder from Al-Qalam University, Katsina State,” he said.
“He was arrested by Nigerian security at Kwari Market. Please, we need to share this and tag any person that can help us free him. He is an orphan and has a mother who needs his help.”
But when contacted, SSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya denied involvement of SSS in the arrest. “Not true,” he replied to our enquiry tersely.
Responding to the arrest on its X handle, Amnesty Nigeria called on Nigerian authorities to release him unconditionally.
“Amnesty International condemns the unlawful arrest of Bashir Abubakar for advertising ‘End Bad Governance in Nigeria’ t-shirts in #Kano. We urge the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. People’s right to freedom of expression must be respected,” it said.
On Wednesday, a Kano-based TikToker, Junaidu Abdullahi (Abusalma), was arrested and sent sent to prison for calling for mass protests against widespread hunger and economic hardship in the country.
