Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Aliyu Sanusi in Sokoto State for allegedly printing and distributing materials related to the upcoming nationwide protests against economic hardship.
Sanusi, who was arrested on Monday evening in the Sama Road area of Sokoto, was accused of involvement in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest scheduled for August 1 across the country.
Human rights activist and 2019/2023 presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore condemned the arrest, describing it as "lawless behavior" by the DSS and demanding Sanusi's immediate release.
This development comes shortly after the DSS released another Nigerian youth, Bashir Abubakar, who was detained in Kano for supporting the planned nationwide protest.
Meanwhile, a pro-government group, the Coalition of Northern Youths Leaders Forum, has been allegedly recruited by the Bola Tinubu administration to discourage participation in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest.
According to reports, each member of the group was paid a paltry sum of N1,500 to create the impression that northern youths had withdrawn from the mass action and undermine the genuine intention of the protest.
The hired group, led by Murtala Mohammed (Gamji), National President, held a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday to castigate the protest organizers and claim they did not mean well for the country.
However, some members of the group admitted being paid to attend the event, and it was revealed that government officials had also made efforts to bribe youth leaders in the North to truncate and frustrate the planned protest.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier cautioned President Tinubu and security agencies against targeting the leaders and promoters of the upcoming nationwide "Day of Rage" protest against economic hardship in the country.