The State Security Service (SSS) says it is hunting down Nigerians railing against the nationwide chaos experienced under President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.

Corroborating the regime’s concerted campaign to suppress voices critical of it, the SSS said, “Recently, the Service invited and cautioned some persons who deniably recounted (sic) their earlier statements or said they were quoted out of context.

“The public should be wary of such individuals and their co-travellers who, incite them in the open but, turn in the secret to retrieve their words after they had caused the damage.”

The SSS revealed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Recently, the SSS has been hunting down vocal critics of Mr Buhari, including journalists (like Agba Jalingo) in the name of national security in a bid to silence them. There have been various reports of individuals “invited” by the agency and left to languish in “underground cells.”

Last week, the secret police held Usman Bugaje for criticising Mr Buhari’s handling of insecurity across the country.

Mr Bugaje, a politician and scholar, was held by state agents after appearing on AIT. The scholar added his voice to growing concerns amongst Nigerians about insecurity. The politician had previously condemned Mr Buhari’s failure to tackle the economy, as well as his sectional appointments.

Last February, the SSS arrested an aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje hours after he criticised Buhari. The aide, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, was taken into custody shortly after his Twitter post condemning the abduction of Zamfara schoolgirls went viral online.

“It is unfortunate that those in the forefront of this are respectable individuals who should be patriotic and not allow their personal ambitions to ruin the nation.

“The service has also noted their desperation and penchant to collaborate with external forces and influences against Nigeria,” the agency added.

The SSS accused political and religious elites opposed to Mr Buhari’s regime of plotting to disintegrate the country.

“They are reminded that even though democracy offers free speech, it does not give room to reckless pronouncements capable of undermining security.

“It is instructive to note that the ballot box remains the vehicle of change in a democracy,” stated the SSS.

Referring to them as self-centred individuals and groups, the secret agency called on the critical elites to stop engaging in acts inimical to the peace and sovereignty of the nation.

It urged influential personalities to be sensitive to the nationwide chaos and guard against divisive and inciting utterances that would cause a breakdown of law and order.