Security operatives, believed to be from the Department of State Services (DSS), have detained activist Mahdi Shehu over allegations of sharing a misleading video that has gone viral online.
According to Daily Trust, while there has been no official statement regarding the reason for the arrest of the Kaduna-based activist and political commentator, news of Mr. Mahdi’s detention circulated widely on social media on Monday.
He was arrested in Kaduna State, though the exact location of his apprehension remains unclear.
However, Daily Trust has learned that the DSS detained him over the weekend after the controversial video attracted significant attention on social platforms.
A source close to Mahdi, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak on behalf of the family, confirmed the arrest.
The source stated, “It’s confirmed that he was arrested, but I cannot provide any further comment.”
They added that when they first saw the report, they attempted to contact Mahdi, only to find that all his phone numbers were switched off.