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 (FCT).
Lenin was apprehended at his residence in the Apo area of Abuja around 2 am on Monday, August 5, 2024. Damilare Adenola, the Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, reported that Lenin’s home was raided by DSS operatives, who also assaulted him during the arrest. “Lenin has been arrested by the DSS.
He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2 am,” Adenola stated. “He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release.” As of the time of filing this report, DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya has not responded to inquiries regarding the incident.
Lenin, who serves as the National Coordinator for the Youth Rights Campaign, recently spoke at a press briefing where he criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent address on the #EndBadGovernance protests.
He expressed his disappointment, stating, “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.
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Nigerians started mobilising to take to the streets and after scores of dead protesters and assaulted journalists from the first three days of the protests.” He continued, “Many had requested that the President should just address the nation when the protest was being mobilised and when it started to escalate, 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, plus the failed attempt to co-opt the progressive and radical language of the protests only shows how much President Tinubu is out of touch with the masses.” Despite his arrest, Lenin called for continued protests, urging citizens to come out in large numbers on Monday. “We, therefore, 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.” For real-time updates, join our WhatsApp group by clicking [here](#).
