In a concerning development, officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly arrested Ibrahim Musa, the spokesman for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly known as the Shiites. The arrest took place at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, leaving his family and associates in distress and demanding his immediate release.
Ibrahim Musa, who also serves as the Editor-in-chief of Almizan Newspaper, was allegedly taken into custody by the DSS. The weekly news magazine, Almizan, released a statement confirming the arrest of its editor.
According to a family member, Abdullahi Usman, Musa, accompanied by a family member named Binta Sulaiman, was abducted by the DSS at MAKIA on Wednesday morning. Musa was en route to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj (Umrah) at the time of his arrest.
Usman stated that no reasons have been provided by the authorities for Musa’s abduction. He highlighted Musa’s known role in advocating for the release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who was detained in the aftermath of a government clampdown and alleged extrajudicial killing of about 1,000 IMN followers in 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The family is urging the immediate release of Musa, emphasizing that his only crime is standing against genocide and the disregard for law and order perpetrated by those in power under the Muhammadu Buhari regime. Usman expressed concern about the potential continuation of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses, urging the present government, led by President Bola Tinubu, to distance itself from such practices.
As the situation unfolds, the arrest raises questions about freedom of expression and human rights in Nigeria, particularly in relation to the government’s handling of dissenting voices and advocacy for justice.
