In an unprecedented action, the Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a formal letter to Khalid Aminu, an engineer and participant in the August #EndBadGovernance protests, demanding a retraction of his allegations of torture while in DSS custody. Aminu was among several individuals arrested during the protests in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
Following his release, Aminu appeared on Channels Television, where he detailed alleged mistreatment by DSS officers. He claimed he was subjected to physical assault, including being beaten with cables and other objects, and described his experience as “inhuman.”
Aminu recounted, “On the 3rd [of August], they arrested us at NEPA Roundabout. There and then they started beating us. Boots, kicks, and all that. Then they pushed all of us into their Hilux, some into their SUVs, and then we went down to the Command. When we got there, the first thing I received was a strong cane, like an armoured cable that they used. If I pull up my chest, you will see. They started beating me, I was flat down and they were blasting me with all forms of sticks, armoured cables, everything you can think of.”
In response to these allegations, the DSS, through its legal counsel, Mohammed Sani Ndanusa, SAN, issued a letter dated November 25, 2024. The letter categorically denied Aminu’s claims, describing them as deliberate fabrications aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the DSS.
The letter, titled “Re: Allegation of Torture By Department of State Security Officials While Undertaking Custody in Kaduna,” stated that Aminu’s remarks were “a misrepresentation of the facts” and intended to damage the DSS’s professional standing. It further read, “You will agree with us that your above representation has caused our client a lot of embarrassment both within and outside Nigeria.”
The DSS demanded that Aminu publish a retraction in three widely circulated newspapers or face legal action.
Interestingly, Aminu’s claims are contradicted by other protesters detained alongside him in the same DSS facility in Kaduna. These individuals recently told reporters that they were not subjected to torture while in custody, creating conflicting narratives about the incident.
The matter has sparked public interest, with many awaiting Aminu’s response and any potential legal proceedings that may follow.
