Salihu Yakasai : Asking Buhari to resign is not an offence – Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has said that it is not an offence for any citizen to call for the resignation of the President

Falana said this reacting to the arrest and detention of Salihu Yakasai, former aide to Kano state Governor.

Following the news of the abduction of the students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday, Salihu had questioned the All Progressives Congress, APC, government’s effort to protect its citizens, thereby calling for the resignation of the President.

Few hours later, he was arrested by men of the Department of State Services, DSS, which they confirmed when his title was stripped from him after much denial.

DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya disclosed that the former governor’s aide was under investigation for issues beyond his remark.

Reacting to this, Falana condemned the action of the DSS. He said there is no justification for the arrest and detention of Salihu

In a statement titled, ‘Asking Buhari to Resign is Not An Offence’, the rights activist noted that the call for Buhari’s resignation has become very popular in the country even before Salihu added his voice to it.

“It is on record that the APC and its leaders including General Mohammadu Buhari; National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinibu; Malam Nasir El-rufai and Alhaji Lai Mohammed repeatedly called for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s resignation between 2013 and 2014,” the statement added.

“Yet they were never subjected to any form of intimidation for exercising their freedom of expression at the material time. The call for President Buhari’s resignation is likely to continue to be made by other concerned individuals and groups over the virtual collapse of the security architecture,” he said.

He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Salihu from ‘illegal custody.’