Few days after regaining their freedom, some of the protesters detained during the August 2024 EndBadGovernance protest have denied being tortured while in custody at the Department of State Security (DSS) office in Kaduna State.
The protesters, who were released a month ago, told journalists that no mistreatment occurred during their detention. They clarified that they were Disc Jockeys (DJs) who played music during the protest in Kaduna, not among those taken to court in Abuja.
“They were released earlier in October 2024 following a directive from the new DSS Director General, who reviewed their case immediately after taking over and found them to be innocent.”
Dahiru Hamza, also known as DJ Zariya, from Tudun Wada, Kaduna, stated that “their release followed the DSS DG’s decision upon realizing their innocence.”
“I was arrested on the 8th of August, 2024. We were detained, but we were neither tortured nor starved. However, we were released without having to pay any bail and were asked to go and collect our sound systems on the order of the DGSS,” he explained.
Hamza added that he had been misled by some of the protest organisers, who assured him that security agencies had granted permission for the protest. He also urged the government to create more employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
Isa Abdullahi, also known as DJ SP, who also operated in Kaduna, denied being tortured by the DSS while in detention. He noted that he was able to communicate with his wife during his time in custody without any issues.
He praised the DSS Director General, who “ordered their release without any condition or charges.”
Khaleed, reportedly the coordinator of the protest and the one who hired the DJs, allegedly informed them that they had secured security clearance for the event.
He was also released, with all charges against him dropped on the Director General’s orders, allowing him to reunite with his family.