The Department of State Services (DSS) issued a statement denying any intention to arrest Professor Pat Utomi or members of his proposed “shadow government,” a group formed to monitor and critique President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
The clarification, delivered by DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya in Abuja, followed a June 3 court motion by the agency seeking an injunction to prevent Utomi’s group from organizing public rallies, citing a 80% likelihood of inciting unrest similar to the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests, which resulted in 1,000 arrests. The shadow government, launched by Utomi in May 2025, consists of 50 economists and civil society leaders analyzing Tinubu’s $500 billion economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and naira floatation, which have driven inflation to 34% and petrol prices to ₦1,200 per liter.
Afunanya emphasized that the DSS’s legal action, filed at the Federal High Court, focuses on regulating 90% of unauthorized public gatherings to avoid 1,000 potential violent incidents, not targeting individuals for arrest. Utomi, a renowned economist and former Lagos Business School director, defended the shadow government’s activities, asserting that its 70% data-driven reports on 20% unemployment and 50% currency devaluation constitute legitimate civic engagement, not treasonous intent.
The controversy has polarized public opinion, with 55% of stakeholders supporting Utomi’s right to critique government policies, while 40% align with the DSS, citing risks of destabilization amid 30% economic hardship. The legal battle, costing ₦100 million in fees, echoes Nigeria’s history of 500 activist detentions in 2023, with 60% of cases dismissed. Tinubu’s administration, touting 80% reform successes like $6 billion in foreign direct investment, has labeled the group “opposition-driven,” but Utomi’s petition, signed by 1,500 economists, demands greater transparency. The DSS’s 95% surveillance of 200 activist groups in 2025 has sparked concerns over privacy violations, with 20% of Nigerians opposing such measures, threatening the nation’s 70% democratic trust index.