NANS begs Aisha Buhari to release arrested student accused of cyberbullying

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has tendered an unreserved apology to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, over the arrest of a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Mohammed, over allegations of cyberbullying against her.

The plight of the student was made known by social activist, Aisha Yesufu who raised an alarm on Monday over the arrest and alleged torture of Mohammed by the FCT police allegedly on the orders of the President’s wife over a tweet he made against her.

Yesufu as well as other Nigerians had condemned the First Lady for allegedly using her power against the student by ordering the FCT Police Command to trace Mohammed to Jigawa where he was picked up.

But in a statement on Tuesday by NANS President, Usman Barambu, the student body apologised to the First Lady on behalf of Nigerian students over Mohammed’s tweet and also called for Mohammed’s release.

“The leadership of NANS received with concern the news of the unlawful arrest of Mohammed by the Nigeria Police on the instruction of Aisha Buhari.

“Upon receiving the news, I, Mohammed’s family and friends swung into action to trace the whereabouts of Mohammed.

“After some days of searching, we got the information that he was at the police unit in Wuse Zone 2. I met with Mohammed at the police custody.

Read also:Parents of detained student, Aminu, beg Aisha Buhari to release their son

“It was alleged that Mohammed some weeks back, posted Aisha Buhari’s picture on Twitter with the caption “Su mama anchi kudin talakawa an koshi” (translated from Hausa to ‘the mother has gotten fatter by eating masses’ money’).

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“However, we are calling on our teeming students to be careful and apply decorum in dealing with people especially our leaders. They should be mindful of what they post on social media.

“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 NANS President said.

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