A retired Nigerian Army Major General, Haruna Garba Gololo, popularly known as Garus Gololo, has reportedly been arrested at Grand Square Supermarket in Abuja following controversial remarks he made against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, over comments linked to the 2027 presidential election.
Sources familiar with the development said the retired senior officer, who previously held several strategic positions in the Nigerian Army before retiring as a Major General, was taken in for questioning after a video surfaced online in which he strongly criticised Akpabio’s alleged remarks suggesting that President Bola Tinubu would return in 2027 “whether Northerners like it or not.”
The comments reportedly triggered reactions among Northern political stakeholders, with Gololo emerging as one of the most vocal critics of the Senate President. In the viral video, he accused Akpabio of disrespecting Northerners and questioned his political legitimacy, while insisting that citizens have the constitutional right to decide their electoral choices without intimidation.
In the footage obtained by SaharaReporters, Gololo also launched a series of allegations against Akpabio, including claims of corruption and references to past investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He further described the Senate President in highly critical terms and referenced earlier controversies involving public remarks made during periods of national hardship.
Gololo also stated that Northerners would make their own political decisions ahead of the 2027 elections, declaring support for opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while rejecting the idea of voting for Tinubu. He maintained that no political office holder had the authority to dictate voting preferences to citizens.
As of the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding his alleged arrest remain unclear, and authorities have not issued an official statement confirming the reason for his detention or whether any charges have been filed.
The reported arrest has sparked widespread reactions, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where concerns have been raised about freedom of expression and whether political criticism is increasingly being treated as a criminal offence. Some commentators argue that public officials are routinely subjected to harsh criticism without arrests being made, while others have called for restraint and lawful engagement in political discourse as the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
Reactions are still unfolding as Nigerians continue to debate whether the incident reflects a growing tension between political expression and state response.