The National Association of Nigerian Students has apologized to Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the arrest of a student of the Federal University, Dutse Jigawa, Aminu Mohammed, by the Nigeria Police.
Condemnations had trailed the reported arrest of Mohammed over a tweet on the First Lady. Notable Nigerians including social activist, Aisha Yesufu, knocked 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, apologized on behalf of the Nigerian students to the First Lady, while also calling 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.
"It was alleged that Mohammed some weeks back posted Aisha Buhari's picture on Twitter with the caption "Su mama Ranchi Rudin Hayakawa a Koshi" (translated from Hausa to 'the mother has gotten fatter by eating masses' money').
"Just like the normal way angry citizens have different ways of expression on social media. On November 18, 2022, the police from Abuja tracked Mohammed to the Federal University Dutse and picked him up 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 brutalized, 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 forge ahead and do the right thing," Barambu said.
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