The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed fears over the safety of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (PDP Abia), who was arrested on Friday by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The party lamented that “the Gestapo-style arrest of Abaribe has further confirmed the earlier alarm that the APC-led Federal Government has commenced a total clampdown on the opposition and perceived opponents of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid.”

The clampdown on Senator Abaribe “is feared to be in furtherance of the moves to intimidate and emasculate members of the National Assembly who are known for their outspokenness against the constitutional violations and misrule of the APC administration,” the party said.

PDP in a statement issued yesterday evening through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that the Federal Government has given no reasons for the arrest and detention of Senator Abaribe, who has been kept incommunicado without access to his lawyers and associates.

The party also emphasised that the apprehension of Nigerians following numerous alleged plots by the Federal Government to frame up other lawmakers, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, as well as Senators Dino Melaye and Shehu Sani.

The statement said: “Nigerians can now see that our dear nation is fast descending into a fascist state where constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech no longer obtains and citizens are marked, arrested and detained on the whims and caprices of those in power.”

PDP charged DSS to immediately declare Senator Abaribe’s whereabouts, as well as the charge against him, saying: “Moreover, the laws of our nation are clear on the process of arrest and prosecution of any citizen and not recourse to clampdown and intimidation.”