DSS Arrests Ex-Daily Trust Editor Over Facebook Post Endorsing ‘RevolutionNow Protest’

A former Politics Editor at Daily Trust newspaper, Dan-Halilu has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) for endorsing the #RevolutionNow protest.

Dan-Halilu, who was a staunch supporter of President Buhari Muhammadu before the 2015 elections, was picked up in his room on Monday at about 2.am, after writing a post on his Facebook timeline, endorsing a protest agitating for revolution movement in Nigeria.

According to SaharaReporters, the post on his Facebook page reads:

“I feel I should share because it resonates with me. If (it) resonates with you too, please share until all oppressed people of Nigeria get the message and domesticate it. This is #not the Nigeria of my dream.

“Somebody asked me why we need a revolution now, this was my reply: The aim of the revolution is to challenge the uncommon hardship (and) why we have 16m children on the street; challenge why we have become the poverty capital of the world; challenge why we have 20 persons with corrupt cases as federal legislators and would-be ministers.

“We need to restructure the country. We need to put an end to trillions spent on electricity while we live in darkness and pay the estimated bill for electricity and meters. Why do we have huge oil reserves but our refineries are dead and we are re-importing what we exported as crude oil? It is time to ask why those in government travel abroad for medical care when they have left our hospitals dilapidated; why they send their children to school abroad when our children learn under mango trees.

“We are revolting against the continuing killings that have left 20,000 Nigerians dead while those in an office move around under state-paid security and do nothing. We are revolting against this because over a thousand Nigerians soldiers killed by Boko Haram have been secretly buried without identifiable graves, dignity or honour. $16m was purportedly spent on mosquito nets but our children die daily from malaria. $320m Abacha loot was purportedly distributed to the poor. Where is the verifiable list? N500bn was purportedly distributed to the poor as so-called Trader-Moni. Where is the verifiable list?

“…With divine grace, God gave us about 40 natural resources spread across the length and breadth of the country. No country on mother earth is as blessed! The persons destroying Nigeria in and out of government are less than 10,000. For how long will the 201 million of us be silent? Forever? It will be sheer stupidity and very unfair of us to be silent and bequeath today’s sorry Nigeria to our children. For how long shall we continue to endure bad leadership from certificate forgers, election riggers, ritualists and yahoo politicians, hoping upon hope for a better tomorrow when things get worse by the day? We are too rich to be poor. We are too blessed to be a mockery of the world!!! No!!!”

A security source, who spoke to PRNigeria in confidence, confirmed that DSS operatives had invited the former DailyTrust Editor for interrogation on why he endorsed the protest. He said,

“Contrary to the speculation going round, DSS just wants to get some necessary clarification from Mr Dan-Halilu on vital security issues. That’s all and nothing more.”

The #RevolutionNow protest held in major cities across the country today.

The protest started peacefully until police personnel begin to clampdown on the protesters by firing tear gas and randomly arresting protesters and journalists covering the protest.

Over 20 people were arrested across the country.