Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, on Saturday, condemned the arrest of Salihu Tanko Yakasai, the sacked media aide to the Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje by the Department of State Services.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, demanded the immediate release of the Yakasai who was whisked away by security operatives on Friday in Kano few hours after he criticised the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari over the growing insecurity in the country.
The party also berated Governor Ganduje for sacking Yakasai who tweeted on Friday that the Buhari-regime should secure Nigerians or resign.
Until his sacking on Saturday, Yakasai, son of elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, was Ganduje’s Special Adviser on Media.
PDP said the arrest and detention of Yakasai was a sad reminder of the disappearance of popular critic of the Buhari regime, Abubakar Idris, well known as Abu Hanifa Dadiyata, who has not been seen since August 2019.
The statement read in part, “The 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 (as amended) and as such, must be respected.”
“The PDP also condemns the decision of the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, in summarily relieving Salihu Yakasai of his appointment as his Special Adviser on media, on the ground that his patriotic demand for a decisive action to end terrorism, was contrary to the stand of the APC government.
“The action of the Governor Ganduje has again heightened apprehensions on the alleged connections between APC leaders and the bandits pillaging our nation.
“In this regard, the PDP demands that Governor Ganduje comes clean on the matter.”
‘Three killed, many abducted’ as bandits attack three Niger communities Bandits attack Niger communities, kill three, abduct many
No fewer than three persons were reportedly killed when suspected bandits simultaneous attacked three communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday.
Residents also said that many people were also abducted during the attacks, which lasted for about two hours.
The three affected villages are Yakira, Gugu and Karaku — all surrounding Kagara, where bandits abducted dozens of schoolchildren from Government Science College, last week.
On Saturday, the students, as well as other kidnapped staff members and their relatives, were all released.
Police in Niger State have yet to respond to any enquiry.
Two villagers, who confirmed the attacks, said the bandits “distributed themselves” when they invaded Rafi LGA on Friday night.
Yunusa Acha, a resident of Kagara, said that some of the survivors who arrived in the town told them that the exact number of kidnapped persons was not yet known.
He said, “Yesterday night, the bandits attacked one village called Karaku, which is very close to here in Kagara. The dead bodies they counted so far are three, and they are still looking for many in the bush.
“They also packed some people away. This was happening till around 2am.
“The same night, they entered another village called Yakira, and attacked them too. They also attacked Gugu, another village very close to the river on your way to Kagara.
“They were all attacked at the same time. The bandits distributed themselves; they were many in number. The exact number of those packed is not known yet, but we heard they took a very huge number of people.”
Ahmed Yusuf, another villager, said the bandits were first sighted on Friday evening.
He said, “Yesterday, it was certain they will attack because we were informed around 5pm that the number of motorcycles that came out around that Madaka road was about 40.
“So, we knew they were going to attack, but the specific locations were not known.”
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