‘I was arrested 10 times’, Tanko Yakasai reacts to son’s detention

Tanko Yakasai, father of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s sacked media aide, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, has said his family is not new to arrest and detention.

The younger Yakasai was intercepted on Friday by agents of the Department of State Security (DSS) after he criticised the government’s handling of security.

Yakasai, who spoke in a telephone interview with Daily Trust, said he was not shocked by the arrest of his son.

The elder statesman was among the politicians detained by the Muhammadu Buhari military government in 1983, following the coup which toppled the civilian administration of Shehu Shagari.

Yakasai was Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) under Shagari

In a statement on Saturday evening, DSS said Yakasai was in its custody, saying he was held for offences other than “expression of opinions in the social media”.

But the elder statesman insisted that the younger Yakasai committed no crime other than criticising the government.

The First Republic politician said the family is waiting to see the step the DSS will take by the end of Monday, saying this will decide the next line of action.