Shaibu Yusuf, who was arrested by the FCT Police Command in Nigeria for threatening to commit suicide from the height of Aso Radio and TV mast in Abuja on July 8, has been released from detention.
His protest was aimed at drawing attention to the prevailing insecurity and economic hardship in the country.
Abuja-based lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed Yusuf’s release. Yusuf had climbed the broadcast mast owned by Aso Television and Radio in the Katampe area of the Federal Capital Territory, carrying a placard that detailed his demands for the government. He called for a state of emergency in several states due to insecurity and urged the government to address food shortages and the rising number of out-of-school children.
Yusuf, originally from Maiduguri in Borno State, explained that his drastic actions were taken in the interest of suffering Nigerians. He stated, “These are the major Nigerian problems and I am ready to sacrifice my life for the solution to them. I am calling on fellow Nigerians to join me on this riot.”
The intervention of the acting Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Mrs. Florence Dawon Wenegieme, was crucial in convincing Yusuf to descend from the mast. Following his release, Adeyanju announced that both he and the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ben Igwe, would support Yusuf in starting a Point of Sale (PoS) business to help him sustain himself.
“We have secured the release of Shaibu Yusuf who protested by climbing a mast in Abuja after a week of back and forth. CP Igwe and I are supporting Shaibu to start a PoS business,” Adeyanju stated, expressing gratitude for the collaborative efforts of the FCT CP and the Welfare Department of the FCT Social Development Unit.
