Yari not invited for ignoring Tinubu’s phone call – DSS clears the air

The Department of State Services has confirmed that Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, Abdulaziz Yari is in its custody as they denied the viral claims that he was arrested because of his refusal to pick the President's phone calls.

While the security agency didn't in confirm the main reason Yari was arrested.

This was made known by DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya in a statement on Sunday, July 10.

Yari had in June obtained an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain security agencies, including the DSS, from arresting him.

The ex-governor had claimed that there were plots to arrest him for daring to join the race for the Senate presidency against the arrangement of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West, Godwill Akpabio, to emerge the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly, The Punch reports.

But Afunanya, who refused to state the reason behind Yari’s invitation, said the senator knew the reason.

He said, “It is petty, if not laughable, to report that Yari was invited for refusing to pick up the President’s call. This is the height of junk journalism. Yari knows why he was invited.

“In fact, the service denies all the allegations as they lack any factual basis or credibility. They are only figments of the creators’ imaginations. This is more so that the publishers in question have been noted in and outside the country for their notoriety for peddling fake news, sensational and gutter journalism. Without a modicum of proper and civilized behavior, they indulge in character assassinations and sundry blackmail as a business.”

Afunaya also dismissed claims that the DSS was snooping on judges on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.