A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called for the release of Salihu ‘Dawisu’ Tanko-Yakasai, reminding President Muhammadu Buhari that Bola Tinubu and Nasir el-Rufai were not arrested for demanding the resignation of then-President Goodluck Jonathan.

The State Security Service arrested Dawisu over the weekend for criticising Mr. Buhari’s regime and demanded that he resign because of his poor handling of security issues in Nigeria.

Dawisu on Twitter censured the president over the abduction of Zamafara schoolgirls on Friday.

Dawisu, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s media aide, was sacked on Saturday by his employer for publicly excoriating Mr. Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In a press statement titled, ‘ Asking Buhari to Resign is Not An Offence,’ Mr. Falana, the chairman of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), said the harassment of Dawisu by the SSS was discriminatory and illegal.

The statement said, “It is on record that the APC and its leaders, including General Mohammadu Buhari, National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinibu, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, repeatedly called for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s resignation between 2013 and 2014.

“Yet they were never subjected to any form of intimidation for exercising their freedom of expression at the material time.”

Below is Mr. Falana’s statement.

Asking Buhari to Resign is Not An Offence

On Friday, February 27, 2021, Mr. Salisu Tanko-Yankassai, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state called on President Mohammadu Buhari to either guarantee the security of the Nigerian people or resign from office.

Even though Mr. Tanko-Yankassai was legitimately exercising his freedom of expression enshrined in section 39 of the Constitution he was sacked by Governor Ganduje and arrested by the State Security Service. ASCAB has confirmed that Mr. Tanko- Yankassai is being held incommunicado in an undisclosed detention facility.

Having regard to the fact that civil rights advocates, retired military officers, and political party leaders including chieftains of the All Progressive Congress have repeatedly asked President Buhari to call it quits due to the worsening insecurity in the country there is no justification whatsoever for the arrest and detention of Mr. Tanko- Yankassai.

In both Chambers of the national assembly there have been strident calls by legislators for President Buhari’s resignation or impeachment on the ground that criminal gangs have taken over the monopoly of violence in the country.

Since such concerned citizens were never arrested the ongoing harassment of Mr. Tanko- Yankassai is high handed, discriminatory and illegal.

It is on record that the APC and its leaders including General Mohammadu Buhari; National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinibu; Malam Nasir El-rufai and Alhaji Lai Mohammed repeatedly called for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s resignation between 2013 and 2014.

Yet they were never subjected to any form of intimidation for exercising their freedom of expression at the material time. Since the call for President Buhari’s resignation is likely to continue to be made by other concerned individuals and groups over the virtual collapse of the security architecture of the neocolonial state it is pertinent to draw the attention of the State Security Service to the case of Arthur Nwankwo v The State 1985 6 NCLR 228 where the Court of Appeal charged the Nigerian people to engage in relentless criticism of democratically elected governments.

In particular, Olajide Olatawura JCA (as he then was of blessed memory) had this to say: “The decision of the founding fathers of the present Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech which must include freedom to criticise should be praised and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided by the constitution must be resisted.

“Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism in respect of their office so as to ensure that they are accountable to the people. They should not be made to feel that they live in an ivory tower and therefore belong to a different class. They must develop thick skins and where possible, plug their ears with wool if they feel too sensitive or irascible.”

In view of the foregoing, we demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Tanko-Yankassai from illegal custody. However, if the State Security Service has evidence that the political detainee has committed any criminal offence known to law he should be transferred to the Police for proper investigation and possible prosecution without any delay.