Dr. Mahdi Shehu, a Kaduna-based civil rights activist, has been apprehended by the Department of State Services (DSS) following his circulation of a controversial video alleging the establishment of a French military base in Nigeria. The DSS arrested Mahdi on Sunday night, with plans to arraign him on Monday, December 30, 2024.
The video, which falsely claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of a French military base in Borno State, was described by security sources as inflammatory and intended to embarrass the Nigerian government while instigating unrest. Both the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, had promptly refuted the claims, affirming that no foreign military base exists on Nigerian soil.
The DSS revealed that Mahdi’s video incorporated outdated footage, including a clip of a military officer who retired in 2016, misrepresented as a current event. Though the video has since been removed from Mahdi’s social media platforms, its damage extended beyond Nigeria’s borders, reinforcing unsubstantiated allegations by Nigerien military leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani that France intended to destabilize Niger from Borno State.
Mahdi Shehu’s recent actions align with a pattern of controversy. Earlier in February 2024, he was accused of attempted extortion and criminal intimidation, allegedly demanding $500,000 from the family of former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami under false pretenses. Legal representatives of Malami stated that Mahdi exploited deceptive tactics to intimidate and extract money, a claim backed by a formal complaint submitted to the Inspector-General of Police.
As Mahdi faces charges for his latest actions, his arrest underscores the DSS’s commitment to curbing misinformation and protecting Nigeria’s stability amidst sensitive regional dynamics.
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