The Department of State Services has invited the 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, following comments the agency considers potentially inflammatory and harmful to national stability.
According to security service insiders, the invitation comes after concerns were raised about Baba-Ahmed’s recent statements during public appearances.
One DSS officer explained that the politician, while speaking on national television a few days earlier, accused the judiciary and the military of enabling the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
He was also reported to have made remarks interpreted as encouraging the military, referencing a situation in which they could “look you in the face and call you ‘bloody fools.’”
The officer said such comments could deepen political tension, especially considering Nigeria’s delicate security and political environment.
He added that rhetoric of this nature had played a role in destabilising countries such as Guinea-Bissau.
> “This isn’t about partisan politics. Statements like these, if left unchecked, could endanger the unity and peace of the country,” the officer noted.
Another DSS source described the invitation as a precautionary step aimed at better understanding Baba-Ahmed’s intentions.
According to the source, this approach is part of the agency’s standard procedure, particularly when public comments may stir agitation or reduce confidence in state institutions.
He said the session is meant to clarify meaning, place statements in context, and curb narratives that might unintentionally provoke unrest.
Baba-Ahmed had appeared on Arise News on Thursday, where he criticised the Federal Government’s proposal to recruit more security personnel.
He also rejected President Tinubu’s suggestion that states rethink the establishment of boarding schools in insecure areas, arguing that the move could give bandits undue influence over government decisions.
