Detained NANS President sues Seyi Tinubu, DSS, NTA for ₦38.3bn

Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has filed a ₦38.3 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing Nigeria’s secret police, the Directorate of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and Seyi Tinubu—son of President Bola Tinubu—of violating his fundamental human rights.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2025 and filed on May 14, 2025, by Isah’s lawyers from Ajunwa & Co., seeks the enforcement of rights under the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.

Isah alleges that he was kidnapped, unlawfully detained for over two weeks, physically assaulted, and defamed in a coordinated attempt to silence his activism and oust him from NANS leadership.

According to court filings, the student leader claims he was brutally beaten and stabbed during an alleged attack orchestrated by a rival NANS faction allegedly backed by Seyi Tinubu.

He says this attack caused severe blood loss and trauma and that DSS operatives subsequently detained him without filing charges.

He is asking the court to declare that his detention and treatment violate multiple provisions of Nigerian and international human rights law.

“The Respondents’ blatant kidnapping, abduction and unlawful detention of the Applicant…amounts to total breach of the Applicant’s fundamental human rights,” the lawsuit reads.

In addition to the N32.87 billion requested as general damages, Isah seeks N5.5 billion in exemplary damages and a 20% compounded interest on the judgment sum.

He also seeks an injunction restraining the respondents from “further kidnapping, beating, detention and physical threats to [his] life” and a court order for his immediate and unconditional release.

Political Undercurrents and Factional Tensions

The crisis appears rooted in a leadership tussle within NANS, with reports suggesting that a government-aligned faction had challenged Isah’s inauguration at The Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja.

During the incident, Isah was reportedly attacked, leading to severe injuries. His family claims the DSS detained him while he was still recovering at the agency’s medical facility.

“Since they took him, we have not seen or heard from him. Nobody knows where he is now; no contact. We are praying nothing bad has happened to him,” a relative told SaharaReporters in an interview, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.

They further alleged that the DSS has refused to arrest the perpetrators of the attack while holding Isah incommunicado.

“Why are the DSS operating like bandits?” the family member asked. “They whisked someone who was macheted and nearly killed by a NANS faction backed by Seyi Tinubu, yet they did not arrest the perpetrators.”

The family said Isah’s wife and young daughter have been left emotionally devastated.

“His wife does not know where her husband is. The daughter cries every day, asking about her dad,” the relative added.

Media Defamation and NTA’s Role

The lawsuit also names the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a respondent, alleging that the state broadcaster aired defamatory content aimed at discrediting Isah’s reputation and legitimising his detention.

Isah argues that the media coverage further aggravated his psychological distress and contributed to public misrepresentation of his status.

Legal Proceedings and Next Steps

The matter is expected to be scheduled for hearing soon. Legal experts suggest the case could raise significant questions about the use of state power, freedom of expression, and the independence of student movements in Nigeria.

If successful, the lawsuit could mark one of the most substantial damages ever awarded in a rights enforcement case involving a student activist in the country.

As of press time, neither the DSS, NTA, nor Seyi Tinubu had publicly responded to the allegations.