#EndBadGovernance: DSS Officers Sue Protester Over Detention Claims
Two officers of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Muhammad and Jibrin Nasir, have initiated legal action against activist Khalid Aminu for alleging torture during his detention.
Osun Defender had reported that Aminu, a Kaduna State resident, had been arrested on August 3, 2024, for organizing the #EndBadGovernance protest aimed at highlighting the economic hardship caused by President Bola Tinubu’s policies.
The DSS detained Aminu for over 10 weeks and later shared his harrowing experience on a Channels TV programme, calling it “a terrible experience.”
He detailed his ordeal, stating, “I’m still not feeling well as a result of the inhumane treatment I received from the DSS—torture, maltreatment, malnutrition, bad living conditions, and denial of my basic rights to speak to family and legal representation. There was no excuse for this, just abuse of rights.”
“They may break my body and try to break my psychological stamina, but my spirit and advocacy for good governance remain intact.”
“The food they gave was nowhere near what could sustain me. Even my four-year-old son could eat that food and still ask for more. The torture was not random; it was calculated.
“I was beaten mercilessly, water was poured on me, I was tased, made to crawl in the gutter, and roll on sharp grass amid insects. I didn’t see sunlight for 58 days.
“The first meal came between 11 am and 1 pm, and the second between 3 pm and 5 pm. The portions were small—about one-third of a one-litre container for rice or sweet potatoes, and just one wrap of swallow for dinner. For water, they gave us two sachets a day.”
In response, Muhammad and Nasir, through their lawyer, Mohammad Sani Katu Ndanusa (SAN), issued a pre-action notice dated November 25, 2024, titled “Re: Allegation of Torture by Department of State Security Services Official While Undertaking Custody in Kaduna: A Call for Retraction.”
READ ALSO: DSS To Sue Channels TV Guest Over Torture Allegations
The notice demanded Aminu retract his statements within seven days and publish apologies in three widely circulated newspapers or face legal action.
The letter stated: “Our clients’ briefing reveals that, as one of the detained and released suspects during the recently held #EndBadGovernance protest, you granted an interview aired on Channels Television and published by Nations Newspaper alleging torture and other inhumane conduct by our clients during your detention.
“These allegations were not only untrue misrepresentations of facts but a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Department of State Security Services and damage our clients’ hard-earned reputations.”
The letter continued, “Your misrepresentation has caused our clients embarrassment both within and outside Nigeria and subjected them to significant negative and traumatic challenges.
“You are hereby given seven days to make a retraction and publish it in three widely read newspapers, failing which we shall initiate legal proceedings against you.”

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.