Saleem Abubakar, a technical assistant to Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal Abubakar, has been released on bail following his arrest in Abuja.

Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed that the case has been adjourned to February 9, 2025 for further proceedings.

The arrest sparked earlier claims by the Zamfara State Government that Abubakar had been “abducted” under suspicious circumstances. The government alleged that federal security operatives were deployed to intimidate opposition figures in the state, describing the operation as politically motivated.

According to the state government spokesperson, Sulaimon Idris:

“We received a shocking and distressing message that Saleem Abubakar, a technical assistant in the office of the Zamfara State Governor, was abducted in Abuja yesterday.”

The government claimed the operation was conducted without an arrest warrant and involved a special security unit linked to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). It further alleged that the incident was orchestrated by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and that Abubakar was moved to multiple undisclosed locations.

The state government warned that such actions could undermine the neutrality and professionalism of Nigeria’s security agencies, calling the development a “perilous precedent” that must be condemned.

Federal security agencies and the Office of the NSA have yet to respond publicly to the allegations.