The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Atiku Abubakar Isah, the embattled President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), before a Magistrate Court sitting in Zone 6, Abuja, on charges of inciting public disturbance and impersonating a public officer.
Isah, who appeared in court on Tuesday dressed in black, was granted bail in the sum of ₦5 million with one surety in like sum. His legal counsel, human rights lawyer Marshal Abubakar of the Falana & Falana Chambers, confirmed the charges.
According to Abubakar, the DSS accused Isah of inciting students to disrupt public peace at a student gathering and for parading himself as NANS President despite a recent convention that allegedly elected new leadership. The DSS claims Isah disrupted a meeting of what it described as the “elected” leadership of the student union.
The charges come amid a deepening leadership crisis within NANS, which has been marred by factionalism and political interference. Isah’s arrest reportedly followed a petition by Olusola Ladoja, who also claims to be the NANS President and is said to have the backing of Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.
Sources within the DSS told SaharaReporters that Ladoja’s letter prompted the arrest of Isah. In a statement dated April 30, 2025, Ladoja accused Isah of “impersonation” and warned that continued defiance of the union’s constitution should attract legal consequences.
Meanwhile, serious allegations have emerged concerning the inhumane treatment of Isah while in DSS custody. Family members and associates told SaharaReporters that Isah was denied food, proper medical care, and basic human dignity during his detention.
“He is being treated like a criminal. When we saw him, he was unkempt, hungry, and very weak,” a family source said. “He hasn’t been eating. The DSS tells him to write down requests for food or medicine, but they ignore him after we leave.”
The source further alleged that Isah appeared to be developing an illness, and despite repeated assurances from DSS officials that he would soon be released, he remained detained under harsh conditions.
“He keeps begging the officers in our presence just to get him food. But after we leave, they don’t respond. He said to us, ‘I think I’m developing an illness.’ It’s really heartbreaking,” the relative said.
The arrest and arraignment of Isah have drawn criticism from civil society actors and student activists who see the action as politically motivated. Many have pointed to the alleged involvement of high-profile political figures and the use of state security to settle internal disputes within NANS.
Marshal Abubakar noted that the case is “layered with political complexity,” adding that “this is a matter of student representation being hijacked and criminalised through the abuse of legal and security institutions.”
Despite being granted bail, it remains uncertain when Isah will be released, as his family and legal team await compliance with the court’s conditions. Meanwhile, rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the conditions of his detention and the DSS’s handling of the matter.