●●●Seyi Tinubu not behind abduction of Atiku Isah- Group
A combined picture of Seyi Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar Isah
By Victory Oghene
Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has accused son of President Bola Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu, and Ladoja Olusola, a rival faction leader of being behind his abduction by gun-wielding thugs in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to a press statement made signed by Comrade Atiku Isah and available to newsmen on Wednesday, he alleged that he was was beaten and subjected to dehumanising treatment.
The NANS president said he was also forced to record an involuntary statement at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) studio.
Atiku claimed Seyi Tinubu declared him an enemy after his overwhelming victory at the election as NANS president at the 125th convention of the association.
Atiku stated that he had written several petitions to the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies about the threats to his life but nothing was done.
The statement partly read, “…I was abducted in Abuja by gun wielding thugs on the instructions of Seyi Tinubu and Ladoja Olusola. I was beaten, subjected to the most cruel and dehumanising treatments, my clothes torn to shreds and stripped naked.
“I was thereafter hurriedly packaged, and in connivance with the Managing Director of NTA, brought to the station where I was forced to release an involuntary statement,” he said.
It added, “Since my overwhelming election as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), at the 125th convention of the association, Seyi Tinubu has in cohorts with Ladoja, and for whatever reasons best known to him, declared me an enemy, and my life has constantly been under threats.
“I have written several petitions to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies on this matter.”
Despite the ordeal, he expressed gratitude to Nigerian students, the media, and peace-loving Nigerians who condemned his abduction.
“I wish to convey my gratitude to the thousands of Nigerian students all over the federation who stood in our defence and called for our immediate and unconditional release. I also wish to appreciate the media and peace loving Nigerians who added their voices in condemning my illegal abduction,” he said.
Atiku assured that he would continue to lead NANS without fear or intimidation, committed to serving the best interests of Nigerian students.
“I will continue to exercise this franchise freely given to me to lead this association in this moment in our history, and no amount of intimidation or threats will make us capitulate to the whims and caprices of the enemies.
“We remain even more resolute and committed to serving the best interests of the overwhelming majority of Nigerian students without fear nor favour,” he declared.
Reacting to the allegeation, a group, Friends of Seyi Tinubu (FOST), stated that Seyi Tinubu never at any point ordered thugs to abduct and brutalise one Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, who claims to be President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The group described allegations against Seyi Tinubu as reckless, saying it’s an attempt to tarnish the good reputation of the President’s son.
A statement by the President of the group, Com. Adejorin Tai Manuel, condemned the publication dated April 16, 2025, alleging Seyi Tinubu was behind the attack on Atiku..
The statement reads: “Mr. Seyi Tinubu is a young, focused, and accomplished individual who has no time, business, or interest in the politics of NANS, let alone stooping so low as to orchestrate violence against someone who is clearly unknown to him.
“The claim that Seyi Tinubu even recognises or acknowledges Comrade Atiku as a threat or enemy is laughable and clearly fabricated. Seyi Tinubu is not a member of NANS, not a patron, nor is he involved in any student political process. He remains committed to his personal and national development engagements, which are far beyond the narrow scope of campus politics.
“It is important to clarify that Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah does not represent Nigerian students. His claims of being elected at the so-called “125th NANS Convention” are factually incorrect and devoid of logic. NANS, which was founded in 1980, has not held up to 125 conventions in its history. Atiku did not attend the last constitutionally recognized NANS convention, nor did he participate in any legitimate electoral process.
“There is no record of any election conducted that produced him. He has no known executive council, no vice president, no secretary-general, no financial secretary, or any EXCO member to support his claims. He merely woke up, declared himself president, and began parading the title across media platforms without mandate or legitimacy.
“One wonders who Atiku represents, where his mandate originated from, and how the medium failed to ask the most basic questions about his legitimacy before giving him a platform to spread lies.
“The so-called “election” that produced him remains invisible, with no evidence of senator participation or institutional backing. He has been rejected by the mainstream NANS community, and the public deserves to know that the association operates with structure and order not propaganda.
“Dragging the name of Seyi Tinubu into this charade is a calculated smear campaign designed to attract public sympathy and give credibility to a failed quest for recognition.
“But Nigerians are wiser than that. Seyi Tinubu has no business with impostors. His focus remains on uplifting youth, driving entrepreneurship, and contributing meaningfully to the nation’s development—not getting entangled in student leadership dramas. It is therefore absurd and insulting that a man of his pedigree would be linked to such crude behavior.”
