#FreeDawisu: DSS arrest Ganduje’s aide for telling Buhari to keep Nigerians safe
The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed the arrest of Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, a former aide to Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
There have been concerns over his whereabouts since his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari. Tanko-Yakasai had told Buhari to secure Nigeria or resign so a competent person could do the job.
His father had earlier dismissed the reports that his son was missing, saying security operatives took him away.
DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya has confirmed Tanko-Yakasai’s arrest but did not state why he was arrested.
“This is to confirm that Salihu Tanko-Yakasai is with the Department of State Services,” DSS said on Saturday.
“He is being investigated over issues beyond the expression of opinions in the social media as wrongly alleged by sections of the public.”
Tanko-Yakasai’s arrest did not, however, come before he began criticising Buhari. It came after. It also followed his sacking by Ganduje who, like his ally Buhari, is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On Friday, Tanko-Yakasai unloaded on the Buhari-APC regime following the abduction of students from the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara State.
“Clearly, we as APC government, at all levels, have failed Nigerians in the number one duty we were elected to do which is to secure lives and properties,” Tanko-Yakasai tweeted.
“Not a single day goes by without some sort of insecurity in this land. This is a shame! Deal with terrorists decisively or resign.
“Each time another tragedy happens, we lament, condemn, create hashtag. The government pretends to do something, no concrete steps to prevent reoccurrence, and then we repeat the process. To what end? Where are those saddled with the responsibility?
“Just last week, it was #freekagaraboys. Today, we have a new hashtag #RescueJangebeGirls. Who knows what hashtag we will come up with tomorrow…perhaps one for ourselves when we get caught up in one of these daring attacks.
“This is sad and heartbreaking; I feel helpless and hopeless,” he said.
Ganduje fired Tanko-Yakasai, who tweets via @dawisu, following his critical social media posts. DSS then arrested him. The agency, which said he wasn’t arrested over the anti-Buhari comments, stopped short of revealing why he was arrested.
Activists are using the hashtag #FreeDawisu to demand the unconditional release of the former government aide.
