DSS Grills Kwara Aide After Blasting VP Shettima, Gov AbdulRazaq Over Killings

Tension is rising in Kwara State as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) move against a political aide who openly criticised top government officials over recent killings in Kaiama Local Government Area.

The aide, Zakari Hassan, is now at the centre of a growing controversy after his comments about Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq sparked reactions across the state.

Sources close to the situation said Hassan, who serves as Special Assistant on Youths to the Kaiama Local Government Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, has been invited by the DSS for questioning. There are concerns that the invitation may lead to his detention, with plans to move him to Ilorin.

The development follows a viral video in which the aide criticised what he described as the government’s poor response to attacks in parts of Kaiama, especially Woro and Nuku communities.

The video, which circulated widely on social media, drew attention to the worsening security situation in the area.

According to people familiar with the matter, Hassan had earlier faced arrest on the directive of the local government chairman after posting the video online.

His arrest, however, triggered reactions among youths in the area, who reportedly pressured authorities until he was released.

“The local government chairman ordered the arrest of the S.A. Youth today because he protested over the killings in Woro and Nuku,” a source said.

Another source explained that the earlier detention did not last long due to intervention from residents. “They arrested him before but he was released due to the intervention of the youths. It happened here in Kaiama,” the source added.

Despite his release, the situation appears far from over. Fresh reports indicate that the DSS has asked him to appear again, raising fears among his associates that he may not regain freedom easily this time.

“They’ve invited him again. They said he should report to the DSS office today (Monday). We learned that they are plotting to detain him today and transfer him to Ilorin. This is on the orders of the Kwara State Government,” another source alleged.

Some residents have also expressed anger over what they see as an attempt to shift responsibility onto the aide rather than address the security crisis in the area. One source described part of the process as unfair.

“The stupid part of it is that they told him to get the names of those killed and those kidnapped,” the source said.

In the video that sparked the crisis, Hassan spoke emotionally about the killings, accusing both federal and state authorities of neglecting the people of Kaiama.

“Actually, the topic I want to discuss this afternoon is so disheartening and heartbreaking. I am deeply disappointed in the government of Kwara State, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“We shouted and continued to shout that Kaiama is not at peace.”

He went further to accuse political leaders of keeping silent for personal reasons. “Some people, because of certain foolish positions… refuse to speak the truth,” he said.

Hassan also gave a grim account of the situation in the affected communities, alleging heavy casualties and abductions during the attacks.

“We saw what happened in Woro. About 200 people died. It was mass murder in a single day, with 176 people taken captive. We witnessed it,” he said.

He challenged reports that downplayed the scale of the violence. “Our media outlets… went on to report that only 75 people were affected… Allah commands that you speak the truth, even if it costs you your life, rather than live by lies,” he added.

In a direct message to the Vice President, he said: “Vice President, you are a disgrace to Nigeria. After this video, you can come and take me to Kirikiri. I am ready. Or come and kill me.”

He did not spare the state government either. “And to the governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, you are a disgrace to Kwara. They call you ‘Your Excellency.’ You are not an excellency. You are a disgrace,” he said.

The situation in Kaiama has continued to generate concern among residents, with many calling for urgent government action to restore security and protect lives.