The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using the Department of State Services, DSS, to suppress dissenting voices.

Sowore made the allegation following the arrest and arraignment of Mubarak Abdullahi, also known as Sardaunan Samari, an alleged supporter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Abdullahi was arrested for sharing a purported letter allegedly written by President Tinubu to the President of the United States on Facebook, with the caption, “Atiku is coming.”

Reacting in a post on X, Sowore criticised the DSS for arresting citizens over their online activities, questioning the agency’s role in a democratic society.

He described the deployment of the security agency against critics as an attempt to silence opposing voices rather than protect national security.

Sowore also accused the Tinubu administration of avoiding public accountability, describing the arrest of a citizen over a document shared online as unfortunate.

The DSS has reportedly filed a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime and defamation against Abdullahi at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

According to reports, the defendant admitted sharing the document and apologised, but was remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kaduna.

Sowore warned that those responsible for the arrest would eventually be held accountable for their actions.

He said a day of reckoning would come when those involved would also be required to answer for their conduct.