I hereby use this medium to apologize to President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, his son Mr Seyi’ Tinubu;the Minister of Youths and Sports, as well as others who
Atiku Abubakar Isah, the factional President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) following his explosive allegations against Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu. Isah claimed Seyi offered him a N100 million bribe to support the government’s agenda and orchestrated a violent attack against him during his inauguration last Tuesday. Sources reveal Isah was forced to sign a retraction letter in DSS custody, where he remains under the guise of medical treatment at their Abuja hospital. “He was compelled to write the retraction letter as a condition for his release,” a DSS insider told SaharaReporters.
The student leader had earlier detailed how Seyi Tinubu and Youth Minister Ayodele Olawande allegedly made the bribe offer in Lagos, which he rejected. “You cannot ask me to promote a president who hasn’t done anything for students,” Isah stated in a viral video. His refusal reportedly led to his abduction on April 15, where he was stripped, beaten, and forced to renounce his presidency at the NTA headquarters under duress. A rival faction leader, Ladoja Olusola—allegedly backed by Seyi—was accused of kicking Isah in the face, leaving him with severe eye injuries and pending brain scan results.
A retraction letter, obtained by SaharaReporters and purportedly signed under coercion, sees Isah disavowing his claims and apologizing to the Tinubus. “I was misled by political opportunists… I deeply regret my utterances,” the letter reads. However, associates insist the document was fabricated, citing a photo of Isah holding a gun—allegedly staged by the DSS for blackmail. The detained leader had warned that Seyi Tinubu’s influence emboldened his attackers: “They said even if they kill me, Seyi will order a cover-up.”
The incident has sparked outrage among student groups and activists, who condemn the alleged use of state apparatus to suppress dissent. Isah’s faction vows to continue resisting government interference in NANS affairs, while human rights
organizations demand his immediate release and an independent investigation into the assault and detention.
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