Dr. Shehu
Controversial activist, Dr Mahdi Shehu, who was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the weekend, may be charged to court soon., according to security sources.
The arrest of Mahdi Shehu, who was being detained in Kaduna at the time of this report, may not be unconnected with his alleged link to a video that has been trending on a matter of national security, NATIONAL ACCORD also learnt.
A source who is very familiar with the development, categorically to our reporters on Monday that the video, which has gone viral, was fake.
.Asked why the DSS failed to arrest Dr Shehu immediately the said fake video went viral, one of the sources explained that personnel of the secret police were engaging with the activist in a bid to resolve the saga, adding that it was after all the efforts by the DSS failed that he was eventually arrested.
NATIONAL ACCORD could not ascertain the exact day that Dr Shehu might be charged to court this week, specific instructions for his arraignment were said to have been given, even as DSS personnel were directed to respect the activist’s rights during the period of his detention.
According to media reports, Dr. Shehu has been in the eye of the storm given his brand of activism bordering on controversy. Earlier in 2024, he was arrested after he allegedly called on President Bola Tinubu to probe former President Muhammadu Buhari and top officials of the government.
An Abuja-based national daily also reported that Abubakar Malami, a former Minister of Justice, clarified why Mahdi was arrested, contrary to an earlier claim by the activist’s lawyer, who had insinuated that Dr Shehu was arrested over his call for the probe of Buhari and top shots of the former government.
Malami’s firm, in a statement signed by A.A. Sherif, said that Shehu was arrested over alleged extortion.
Malami’s lawyers wrote: “Our attention has been drawn to the above press statement made on February 7, 2024, as well as that of January 2024; and we, as solicitors to Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his family, noted with grave concern that the press statement is not correct, misleading, malicious and a gross misrepresentation of the facts leading to the arrest.
“Therefore, we write to set the record straight for the benefit of the public. Without prejudice to the police investigation that is ongoing, the facts relate to the complaint/petition which we wrote to the Inspector-General of Police on allegations (bordering) on extortion,.. …”
