NANS President Atiku Isah Drags Seyi Tinubu, DSS, NTA to Court Over Alleged Torture, Detention—Demands N38.3 Billion Compensation

The detained President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing key state actors and political figures of abduction, torture, and prolonged illegal detention.

Filed on May 14, 2025, under Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2025, the case names the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as respondents. The application was submitted by legal representatives Ugwueze I. Oduegbu and R.O. Ifebhor of Ajunwa & Co., invoking the 1999 Constitution, the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Isah is asking the court to issue multiple declarations and orders, including an immediate and unconditional release from DSS detention and an injunction restraining further abduction, torture, or threats to his life. He is also seeking N32.87 billion in general damages and N5.5 billion in exemplary damages, plus 20% compounded interest on the judgment amount.

In his affidavit, Isah claims he was brutally assaulted, stabbed, and held without charges for over 15 days in what he describes as a coordinated effort to silence his student activism. He alleges that the violations of his rights—including freedom of movement, protection from inhuman treatment, and right to life—were deliberate acts aimed at forcing him to resign as NANS President.

The suit follows a controversial incident during his inauguration at The Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja, where he was reportedly attacked by a faction of NANS allegedly loyal to the presidency. Isah’s family has since raised alarm over his disappearance and deteriorating health, alleging that the DSS whisked him away from its clinic, where he was receiving treatment for severe injuries.

A family member who spoke to SaharaReporters accused the DSS of shielding perpetrators of the attack while detaining the victim. “They whisked someone who was macheted and nearly killed, yet they did not arrest the attackers. Instead, they abducted Isah,” the relative said. His wife and young daughter are said to be emotionally distressed, with the family expressing deep concern over his safety and wellbeing.

The case is expected to be heard on a date to be scheduled by the court.