The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, founder of Baze University and the Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, over comments security officials consider potentially inciting and capable of undermining national stability.
A security source in Abuja told Vanguard that the invitation followed concerns surrounding Baba-Ahmed’s recent public statements, which were described as carrying “constitutional implications.”
“Baba-Ahmed was on national television a few days ago blaming the judiciary and the military for allowing the swearing-in of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima,” the source said. “He went as far as alleging that the inauguration emboldened certain elements to look the military in the face and call them ‘bl%ody f%ols.’”
According to the official, the comments were viewed as inflammatory, with undertones capable of heightening political tension in the country. “Given the sensitivity of the current national climate, rhetoric of this nature is taken seriously. Similar narratives have contributed to instability in countries like Guinea-Bissau and elsewhere,” the source noted.
He stressed that the DSS invitation is not punitive but preventive. “The aim is to clarify intent, contextualize the remarks, and ensure such narratives do not unintentionally fuel public unrest,” he said.
The source added that Baba-Ahmed’s criticism of ongoing national security reforms — which he reportedly described as a “joke” — could also undermine public confidence in state institutions.
“The nation’s corporate existence could be threatened if such rhetoric is allowed to fester unchecked. The engagement is simply part of broader efforts to maintain stability,” the official concluded.
