The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the arrest of Salihu Tanko Yakasai, a former aide of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party demanded the immediate release of the Yakasai who was whisked away by security operatives on Friday in Kano.
This was hours after he criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) government at all levels over the growing insecurity in the country.
PDP also tackled Ganduje for sacking Yakasai over his criticism, saying his arrest is a “sad reminder of the disappearance of popular critic of the Buhari administration, Abubakar Idris, better known as Abu Hanifa Dadiyata, who has not been seen since August 2019.
“The Peoples Democratic Party describes the reported arrest of Salihu by security operatives as well as his alleged detention in a secret facility, just after his criticism against the Buhari administration’s failures in the fight against banditry in our country, as completely unacceptable.
“Salihu Yakasai’s ordeal is a sad reminder of the sudden disappearance of another known critic of the Buhari administration, Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Abu Hanifa Dadiyata, since August 2019.
“The PDP reminds agents of the APC-led administration that Nigeria is a democratic nation and that the rights of citizens, including their freedom of expression, within the ambit of the law, are firmly guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution.”
