The Department of State Services (DSS) on April 11, 2026, detained and questioned some officials of the Kano State Government following a petition by the Kwankwasiyya Movement alleging cyberbullying and defamation of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and other leaders of the movement on social media.
According to media reports, the officials were invited and briefly detained by the DSS, where they were interrogated for about four hours before being released on self-recognition.
Those involved, according to SolaceBase, include Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director-General of Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House; Ibrahim Adam, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information; Salisu Yahaya Hotoro, APC Youth Leader in Kano; and Nuhu Dambazau, Senior Special Reporter at the Government House.
In the petition dated April 9, 2026, the Kwankwasiyya Movement alleged that the officials engaged in coordinated online activities aimed at undermining the reputation of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Aminu Abdusalam Gwarzo, Rufai Sani Hanga, and other leaders of the movement.
Reports say the release of the officials after a brief interrogation suggests that the matter remains under investigation, with no immediate findings established against them.
The development comes amid ongoing political exchanges on social media between supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and backers of the Kano State Government.
Speaking to SolaceBase on the night of April 11, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, said the petition was written and signed by Musa Gambo Hamisu Danzaki, the Kano State Chairman of the movement.
According to him, the decision to petition the DSS followed what he described as a pattern of arrests and detention of their members based on complaints allegedly linked to the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
“What prompted us to write the petition to the DSS was the fact that the secret police were arresting and detaining our members over alleged complaints from the Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf-led government, accusing some of our members of character assassination and cyberbullying,” Mohammed said.
He added that the movement informed the DSS that similar allegations of defamation and cyberbullying were being made against its leaders, including Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, by some state government aides.
“When we raised these concerns, the DSS said they were not aware, as there had been no formal complaint from our side. Hence, we decided to formally petition the DSS over the alleged defamation and cyberbullying,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the DSS nor the Kano State Government had issued an official statement on the matter.
