Operatives believed to be officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested and detained Michael Lenin, a key leader of the EndBadGovernance protests in the Federal Capital Territory.
The DSS picked up Lenin at his residence in the Apo area of the nation’s capital at about 2 a.m. on Monday.
In an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the “Take It Back Movement,” claimed that the DSS had raided the residence of Lenin.
He alleged that the DSS also assaulted him during his arrest.
Adenola said: “Lenin has been arrested by the DSS. He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2 a.m.
“He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.”
Attempts to reach the DSS spokesperson, Mr. Peter Afunanya, were unsuccessful as of press time.
At a media briefing, Lenin, the National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, had expressed his disillusionment with President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday address to the nation, stating that it revealed the President’s lack of understanding of the nation’s current situation.
He said: “We wish to express our sadness and deep disappointment at the latest broadcast by President Tinubu, which is his first address to the nation on the #EndBadGovernance protests, after over three weeks since Nigerians started mobilizing to take to the streets and after scores of dead protesters and assaulted journalists from the first three days of the protests.
“Many had requested that the President just address the nation when the protest was being mobilized and when it started to escalate, but most of us did not know that the President would only justify state violence on protesters and journalists while dismissing the demands of the protesters whenever he decides to speak.
“This, plus the failed attempt to co-opt the progressive and radical language of the protests, only shows how much President Tinubu is out of touch with the masses.
“We, therefore, call on Nigerians to come out in large numbers to continue these protests on Monday until our demands are met. The two-pronged approach of violence and propaganda has failed.
“The violence and repressions are just attempts to silence and control us, and the propaganda cannot sway or fool us.”
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