—We didn’t arrest him for ignoring Tinubu’s call, says DSS
A former governor of Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, Abdulaziz Yari, has been released from the custody of the Department of State Services, the PUNCH has learnt.
The news of his release was made known by one of his allies and the lawmaker representing Kano South, Senator Sumaila Kawu ( NNPP, Kano South).
The lawmaker announced the release of Yari on his Facebook page in the early hours of Sunday.
He wrote, “God the owner of the generation, Senator Yari is free, we thank God, the leader that has no end.”
Sunday PUNCH had reported that a source close to the lawmaker who escorted him to the DSS office stated that he would be released soon.
The Source said, “Senator Yari is still in the DSS custody, but he should be out soon in sha ’Allah. He went to their office himself after the plenary. I escorted him there and he has been there since then,” the source said.
Earlier, Peoples Gazette, an online publication, had earlier reported that Yari was arrested by the secret police after receiving a call from the director-general, Yusuf Bichi, to report at the DSS headquarters for an urgent discussion.
The details of Yari’s detention were still sketchy at the time of filling this report.
We didn’t arrest him for ignoring Tinubu’s call, says DSS
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services on Sunday denied that Senator Abdulaziz Yari was arrested because he refused to take President Bola Tinubu’s phone call.
The Spokesman of DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, in a statement issued on Sunday.
The statement posted on the Twitter handle of the DSS described the claim as laughable and inconsequential.
While confirming that Yari was invited by DSS, Afunanya in the statement said the senator knew the reason behind his invitation.
He also denied accusations that the Service was snooping on Judges on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Afunanya also denied reports that Service stormed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Code of Conduct Bureau and carted away certain files from them.
He debunked reports that there is a rumble in the DSS due to nepotism.
He said the Service ordinarily would not have responded to the inaccuracies but for the “fickle-minded and vulnerable persons as well as the unsuspecting public” that may take the lies for facts.
Afunanya in the statement, said, “The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to false reports by sections of the online media particularly SaharaReporters, Peoples Gazette, and Jackson Ude.
The so-called news platforms variously and wrongly fed the public with misleading narratives and accusations against the Service.
“For instance, SaharaReporters wrote that the Service stormed the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and carted away certain files from them.
“Jackson Ude falsely claimed that there is a rumble in the DSS due to nepotism. He further accused the Service was snooping on Judges on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
“On its part, Peoples Gazette reported that Senator Abdulaziz Yari was arrested for alleged refusal to pick up the President’s phone call (whatever that meant).
“There are other variants of unsubstantiated and anonymous petitions flying around against the DGSS, his family, and some officials.
To set the record straight, the DSS did not execute operations at the ICPC and CCB or remove files from their offices.
“Instructively, the two agencies have, on their own, refuted the news in widely circulated press statements. It is petty, if not laughable, to report that Yari was invited for refusing to pick up the President’s call. This is the height of junk journalism. Yari knows why he was invited.
“In fact, the Service denies all the allegations as they lack any factual basis or credibility. They are only figments of the creators’ imaginations.
“This is more so that the publishers in question have been noted in and outside the country for their notoriety for peddling fake news, sensational and gutter journalism. Without a modicum of proper and civilised behaviour, they indulge in character assassinations and sundry blackmail as a business,” the statement added.
Credit: PUNCH
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