Atiku Abubakar Isah, the factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) following allegations that he was offered a ₦100 million bribe by Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, to support government-aligned agendas within the student body.
Isah further alleged that a faction within NANS, reportedly backed by Seyi Tinubu, orchestrated a physical assault against him. He specifically accused Ladoja Olusola, the rival factional president, of kicking him in the face during a violent disruption at his inauguration event in Abuja.
According to sources who spoke with SaharaReporters, Isah was detained by the DSS after the incident and has since been held at their facility under the guise of receiving medical care. He is reportedly being pressured to retract his earlier allegations and was allegedly coerced into signing a statement of retraction.
Insiders also claimed that DSS operatives forced Isah to pose for a photograph while holding a firearm, allegedly to use the image as blackmail. A letter obtained by SaharaReporters, purportedly signed under duress, shows Isah renouncing his earlier statements and apologizing to the President, his son, and others named in his claims.
The controversy stems from a viral video in which Isah accused Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, of offering him ₦100 million to step down and support the government. He claimed to have rejected the offer, asserting his refusal was met with violence and abduction.
He alleged that he was taken, stripped, and assaulted in the presence of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) personnel. He claimed the goal was to force him to publicly renounce his position. Following the incident, Isah released a statement disavowing any voluntary withdrawal from the NANS presidency, reiterating that any such claims were made under duress.
In interviews, Isah described ongoing threats to his life and expressed concern over his deteriorating health, including the potential loss of vision from injuries sustained during the assault. He accused political actors of leveraging cult groups and student factions to control NANS leadership and warned against what he sees as a dangerous precedent being set by political interference in student affairs.
Isah condemned Seyi Tinubu’s alleged involvement as harmful to the image of Nigerian youth leadership, warning of dire consequences should such figures ascend to greater political positions.
Saharareporters
