NANS Begs Aisha Buhari To Release Student Arrested Over Tweet, Apologizes To First Lady

 

The National Association of Nigerian Students has begged Aisha Buhari, wife of the President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive a student arrested over a tweet he made about the First Lady.

 

Recall that the student of the Federal University, Dutse Jigawa, Aminu Mohammed was arrested by the Nigeria Police over a tweet he made months ago.

 

Nigerians have since condemned the arrest of Mohammed.

 

Social activist, Aisha Yesufu didn't waste time to knock Aisha for allegedly using her power against the student.

 

While initial reports were that Mohammed was arrested by the Department of State Services, NANS revealed that he was rather arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, who traced Mohammed to Jigawa where he was picked up.

 

NANS in a statement on Tuesday by its President, Usman Barambu, apologised on behalf of the Nigerian students to the First Lady, while also calling for Mohammed’s release.

 

“Just like the normal way angry citizens have different ways of expression on the social media. On November 18, 2022, the police from Abuja tracked Mohammed to the Federal University Dutse and picked him without any written/verbal invitation or informing the school management or his family,” Barambu narrated.

 

The NANS President said Mohammed was taken straight to the Presidential Villa where he was allegedly brutalised, beaten, maltreated and humiliated by the police “on the orders of Aisha Buhari, after which he was unlawfully detained at a police facility at Wuse Zone II till date. I, alongside our team of lawyers, met with Mohammed at the police facility where he confirmed the incident to me. Until now, Mohammed has not been arraigned by any competent court of law or granted bail by the police.”

“We want to, on behalf of all the Nigerian students, tender our unreserved apology to the First Lady Aisha Buhari, for the action of Mohammed which might have caused her and her family pains. However, as leaders and public office holders, we must overlook some criticisms if we want to really forge ahead and do the right thing,” Barambu said.

 

“We demand a detailed explanation by the Nigeria Police on why they will go to the school premises and ‘kidnap’ a student without due process and took him straight to the Presidential Villa where he was brutalised which violates his fundamental human rights,” the statement said.

 

NANS said Mohammed had sustained various injuries and had not accessed any proper medical attention. “We call on the police as a matter of national interest and urgency to release Mohammed unconditionally or be prepared to face the Nigerian students.

“We want to inform the general public to be patient as we await response and actions from the Inspector General of Police on a letter earlier sent to his office,” the president added.

 

Disagreeing with the national body, the South-West zone of NANS, in another statement by its Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope, condemned the alleged action of the First Lady, saying Mohammed’s rights were grossly violated.

 

“Our position as an association is that the wife of the President has exhibited conduct against the provisions of the Nigerian law which has therefore invalidated whatever case they might have against him,”  Temitope said.