Hauwa, the wife of detained Hausa activist Bichia Maisango, has appealed to the Department of State Services (DSS) to either release her husband or charge him to court, saying his prolonged detention has left their family in distress.
Speaking in a video published by Asrise TV on Monday, Hauwa said she lost contact with her husband after he honoured an invitation to the DSS headquarters. She said she later learned he was being detained over his social media activism advocating separate recognition of the Hausa ethnic identity, rather than the commonly used “Hausa-Fulani” designation. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the reason for his continued detention.
“I travelled to Geneva on the 2nd of June, and that was the last time I had any contact with him,” she said, adding that Maisango has consistently advocated Hausa ethnic consciousness.
Describing the impact on their children, Hauwa said, “I keep lying to my kids. My son keeps asking questions, and I can’t explain why his father has been away from home for so long.”
She maintained that her husband has always been law-abiding and urged authorities to prosecute him in court if they believe he has committed any offence, insisting that “even a criminal has his day in court.”
