DSS arrests Ganduje’s aide after he demanded Buhari’s resignation over insecurity

The Department of State Services on Friday arrested an aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai hours after he criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of Nigeria’s security crisis.

Tanko-Yakasai was reportedly taken into custody shortly after his Twitter post condemning Friday’s abduction of Zamfara schoolgirls went viral online.

An SSS official in Kano told online medium, People’s Gazette that Mr. Tanko-Yakasai was arrested while returning from the mosque on Friday afternoon, adding that the governor was yet to be informed about the development.

“Alhamdulillah we just confirmed @dawisu is at DSS office,” a Kano government spokesman also said on Twitter Saturday morning, injecting immediate calm into initial apprehension palpable across the microblogging platform.

“@dawisu was arrested and taken to Abuja from kano. #FreeDawisu now!,” another friend said.

A spokesman for the police in Kano said the matter had not been reported. A spokesman for the SSS did not immediately return a request seeking comments on Saturday morning.

Mr. Tanko-Yakasai, who has worked as Mr. Ganduje’s media handler since 2015, was suspended from office for several weeks last year after criticising Mr. Buhari over insecurity. Both Ganduje and Buhari are political allies of the ruling All Progressives Congress.