The family of Ahmad Yusuf Muhammad, a 21-year-old who was arrested in Kano by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly producing Russian flags, has insisted that he does not know how to operate a sewing machine and has never worked as a tailor.
According to the DSS, Ahmad and other tailors were detained on suspicion of mass-producing Russian flags that were displayed during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests. However, Ahmad’s brother, Nasiru Yusuf Muhammad, spoke to Daily Trust to clarify the situation.
Nasiru explained: “Ahmad is my biological brother, and he was arrested under the accusation of sewing the Russian flag. I want to make it clear that he was never a tailor and has never handled a sewing machine.”
He continued: “It seems that Ahmad has become a victim of circumstances. We suspect that due to trauma or fear, he may have said something that implicated himself. Ahmad is actually a dealer in used water sachets, which is a family business. He works directly under me in this field. The sewing machine mentioned was not his and was not found in our home; it was located in a neighbor’s house, and the owner has since fled.”
Nasiru further stated: “Ahmad did not possess the flag, did not participate in the protests, and did not raise any flags. We had advised him against participating, and he followed that advice.”
Nasiru concluded by urging security agencies and relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
“We appeal to the concerned authorities to carefully review this issue and release Ahmad. He is not a tailor and has not committed the offense he is being accused of,” he added.
