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 against the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The suit accuses the respondents of violating his fundamental human rights through abduction, unlawful detention, physical assault, and defamation.
Filed on May 14, 2025, the suit alleges that Isah was kidnapped, detained for over two weeks without charges, brutally beaten, and stabbed during an attack reportedly orchestrated by a rival NANS faction allegedly backed by Seyi Tinubu. The assault caused severe injuries and trauma. Following the attack, DSS operatives detained him without filing any formal charges.
Isah’s legal team seeks declarations that his detention and treatment violate provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and related enforcement laws. The suit demands his immediate and unconditional release and an injunction preventing further kidnapping, beating, detention, or threats to his life.
In addition to general damages of ₦32.87 billion, Isah is seeking ₦5.5 billion in exemplary damages and 20% compounded interest on the judgment sum. The lawsuit also names the NTA for allegedly airing defamatory content aimed at discrediting Isah and legitimizing his detention, which further aggravated his psychological distress.
The case arises amid a leadership tussle within NANS, with reports indicating that a government-aligned faction challenged Isah’s inauguration, leading to violent clashes. His family has expressed deep concern over his continued detention and lack of communication, accusing the DSS of acting under political influence and failing to arrest those responsible for the attack.
Legal experts suggest the lawsuit could raise significant issues regarding the use of state power, freedom of expression, and the independence of student movements in Nigeria. As of now, neither the DSS, NTA, nor Seyi Tinubu has publicly responded to the allegations.
