Defamation claims: Kano state officials held, then freed by DSS after complaint from Kwankwaso

The Department of State Services has released on self-recognition several Kano State Government officials who were detained after a petition was filed by Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state, alleging cyberbullying and defamation on social media.

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Those released include Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director General of Media and Publicity at Government House Kano, as well as Ibrahim Adam, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, who were questioned for about four hours before being freed.

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Also among those released were Salisu Yahaya Hotoro, the APC Youth Leader in Kano, and Nuhu Dambazau, a Senior Special Reporter at the Government House, all of whom were invited and detained by the DSS following Kwankwaso's petition.

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The petition, submitted under the Kwankwasiyya Movement, accused the officials of using social media to harass and defame Kwankwaso and some members of his political camp, with the petition dated April 10, 2026, alleging coordinated online activities aimed at undermining his reputation.

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According to the petition, the officials' actions were part of a larger pattern of "persistent cyberbullying, online harassment, and coordinated defamatory attacks" directed against Kwankwaso, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, Rufai Sani Hanga, Muhammad Samir Hanga, and other members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement on Facebook.

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The petition further stated that it had become clear that certain individuals in the Kano State Government, including the Governor's spokesman, were allegedly involved in the online attacks, prompting Kwankwaso to seek action from the authorities.

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The release of the officials after a brief interrogation has been seen by observers as a sign that the investigation is ongoing, with no immediate findings against them, as the matter continues to unfold.

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The development is set against the backdrop of ongoing political exchanges on social media between supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and those of the Kano State Government, with tensions running high between the two camps.

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As of the time of this report, neither the DSS nor the Kano State Government has issued an official statement on the matter, leaving many to speculate about the outcome of the investigation and its potential implications.