In the early hours of Monday, August 5, operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) detained Michael Lenin, a prominent leader of the #EndBadGovernance protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
News About Nigeria gathered that the arrest occurred during a raid on Lenin’s residence in Apo around 2 am.
Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, confirmed the incident, stating, “Lenin has been arrested by the DSS. He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2 am. He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.”
Despite repeated requests for comment, DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya has yet to respond.
Lenin, who also serves as the National Coordinator for the Youth Rights Campaign, has been a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the ongoing protests.
In a recent press briefing, Lenin expressed disappointment with the president’s address to the nation, calling it out of touch with the realities faced by Nigerians.
“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 of mobilisation and significant casualties among protesters and journalists. Many had hoped the President would address the nation sooner to de-escalate tensions, but instead, he justified state violence and dismissed the protesters’ demands,” Lenin stated.
He condemned the president’s use of progressive and radical language, arguing it only highlighted his disconnect from the masses.
Despite his arrest, Lenin called for the protests to continue, urging Nigerians to persist until their demands are met.
“We 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,” Lenin urged.
