DSS Detains Northern Group Leaders Over Planned Protest

Four officials of the Coalition of Northern Groups were on Friday detained by the Department of State Services.
Nastura Ashir Sharif, Balarabe Rufai, Aminu Adam and Dr Muhammad Nawaila were invited by Nigeria’s secret police while concluding an arrangement for a peaceful protest on the killings in the Northern part of the country.
The group had issued a statement notifying the public of their intention to occupy all the 19 Northern states and the National Assembly.
CNG’s spokesman, Abdulazeez Suleiman, in a statement on Saturday said the group will go ahead with protest despite what he described as an attempt to suppress their rights.
“#EndInsecurityNow protests against the rampant killings in Northern Nigeria and displacement of hundreds of communities has come under intense pressure and intimidation in the last few hours by the DSS which is hell bent on suppressing the tearful voice of the Northerner.
“The development saw officials of the CNG Nastura Ashir Sharif, Balarabe Rufai, Aminu Adam and Dr Muhammad Nawaila being invited by the DSS in Kano where they were held from 11pm Friday to 2:15am Saturday.
“Throughout their stay at the DSS office, they were incommunicado not answering calls on their phones and not returning the same. We are on the alert.”