The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed — founder of Baze University and former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate — for questioning over recent public remarks considered potentially inciting against the Nigerian State.
According to insider sources who spoke with Zagazola Makama, security officials have become increasingly concerned about Baba-Ahmed’s repeated comments on national media, especially his insistence that the country is facing what he described as a “constitutional crisis.”
One source referenced a recent television appearance where Baba-Ahmed accused both the judiciary and the military of enabling the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. The source claimed the former lawmaker went as far as suggesting that the swearing-in gave the military the boldness to “look you in the face and call you bloody fools.”
Security officials believe such statements, if left unchecked, could heighten political tension in an already sensitive national climate. They noted that similar rhetoric has fueled instability in countries like Guinea-Bissau, adding that Nigeria cannot afford such risks.
Another source emphasized that the DSS invitation is not punitive but preventive. The goal, he explained, is to clarify intent, understand context, and ensure that public commentary does not inadvertently escalate into narratives capable of triggering unrest.
“It’s not about politics,” the source stressed. “It’s about safeguarding national stability and making sure statements that can inflame the public are properly addressed.”