Michael Lenin, a prominent leader of the ongoing Endbadgovernance protests in Abuja, has been arrested by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives. Lenin was detained around 2 a.m. on Monday at his residence in the Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory. The raid on his home occurred in the presence of his family.
Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, confirmed the arrest and demanded Lenin’s immediate and unconditional release. Adenola criticized the DSS action, describing it as an unjustified move against a vocal critic of the government.
Lenin had recently criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s address to the nation, alleging it was out of touch with the realities of the protests and the ongoing violence against demonstrators. Lenin had urged Nigerians to continue protesting until their demands are met, condemning both the violence and the government’s dismissive response. The DSS’s intervention in his case is seen as an attempt to stifle dissent and manage the ongoing protests.