NANS apologises to Aisha Buhari over student’s tweet, says ‘leaders must overlook some criticisms’

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has apologised to Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, over a critical tweet posted by a student.

TheCable had reported how one Aminu Muhammad, a student of the Federal University Dutse, was arrested by the police over a post on Aisha.

“Su mama anchi kudin talkawa ankoshi,” Muhammad tweeted in Hausa in June 2022.

The tweet, which was accompanied by a photograph of Aisha Buhari, loosely translates as “Mama has eaten poor people’s money and is now full”.

https://twitter.com/aminullahie/status/1534467524250804224

Condemnations from human rights activists and other Nigerians have since trailed Muhammad’s arrest.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Tuesday, Usman Barambu, NANS president, alleged that the student was “brutalised, beaten, maltreated and humiliated by the police” following his social media post.

Barambu also alleged that Muhammad was taken to the presidential villa where he was allegedly assaulted “on the orders of Aisha Buhari, after which he was unlawfully detained at a police facility at Wuse Zone II till date.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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 anchi kudin talakawa an koshi’ (translated from Hausa to ‘the mother has gotten fatter by eating masses’ money’).

“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 take him straight to the presidential villa where he was brutalised which violates his fundamental human rights.

“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.”