Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Micheal Lenin, a prominent leader of the ongoing Endbadgovernance protests in the Federal Capital Territory. Lenin was apprehended by the DSS around 2 am on Monday at his residence in the Apo area of Abuja.
The Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, confirmed the arrest to our correspondent, stating that Lenin’s house was raided by the DSS, and he was assaulted during the arrest.
“Lenin has been arrested by the DSS. He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2 am,” Adenola said. “He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.”
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Attempts to reach the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. He has yet to respond to messages sent to him.
Lenin, who is the National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, was one of the organizers who spoke at a press briefing expressing disappointment with President Bola Tinubu’s recent broadcast.
“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,” Lenin said during the briefing. “Many had requested that the President should address the nation, 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 shows how much President Tinubu is out of touch with the masses.”
Despite his arrest, Lenin called for the protests to continue, urging citizens to come out in large numbers.
“We, therefore, call on Nigerians to come out in large numbers to continue these protests on Monday until our demands are met,” he stated. “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.”
The Endbadgovernance protests have gained significant traction, with demonstrators demanding better governance and accountability from the government. The arrest of Lenin is seen as a significant development in the ongoing struggle.