The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Comrade Usman Okai Austin, a former member of the House of Representatives for Dekina/Bassa federal constituency.
The arrest, which reportedly took place on Wednesday, was revealed by activist and politician Omoyele Sowore. In a post on social media platform X, Sowore stated that Okai was picked up from his residence in what he described as a “gestapo manner.”
Sowore alleged that Okai was targeted for openly criticizing Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo. He accused the DSS of being used to silence opposition voices.
“Imagine how these lawless @OfficialDSSNG mercenaries are abducting, torturing, and dehumanizing a Nigerian citizen, @Austinokai just because he expresses himself against illegitimate Gov. Ododo of Kogi State,” Sowore wrote, using hashtags like #RevolutionNow and #FreeAustinOkaiNow to call for Okai’s immediate release.
He further stated, “Lawless @OfficialDSSNG at it again. They must release @Austinokai immediately, with no room for govt security agencies acting as mercenary for corrupt, unscrupulous and illegitimate political hacks such as Ododo, Yahaya Bello and co! #FreeAustinOkaiNow.”
Okai has been a vocal critic of Governor Ododo’s administration and has frequently spoken out against alleged misconduct in the state government.
Recently, he called on Ododo to address what he described as the “unchecked and excessive powers” of Kogi State’s Accountant General, Habiba Onumoko. He accused her of overstepping her constitutional role and engaging in financial mismanagement.
Okai claimed that the accountant general and her associates had taken control of key government decisions, leaving Ododo’s administration under their influence.
