Afenifere dismisses abduction allegations against Seyi Tinubu as ‘proxy war against Presidency’

A pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding allegations of assault and abduction against Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu.

In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, the group described the claims as “salacious, fallacious, and completely unfounded.”

The statement, signed by the National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, dismissed the accusations as a calculated attempt by political adversaries to launch an indirect attack on the presidency.

“This is a proxy war against the President and his family by political opponents who lack the courage to fight openly,” the group stated, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated rather than rooted in truth.

The allegations stem from a press briefing held in Abuja by Comrade Atiku Isah, a factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who claimed he was assaulted and abducted on April 15 by unidentified men. Isah alleged that the incident followed his rejection of a N100 million bribe purportedly offered by Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, to secure his public support for the Tinubu administration.

According to Isah, the assault occurred shortly after a meeting in Lagos, during which the alleged bribery attempt took place. He further claimed that he was stripped, brutalised, and held against his will.

READ ALSO: Seyi Tinubu denies NANS president’s bribery, abduction claims

However, Seyi Tinubu categorically denied the accusations, describing them as a “fabrication” intended to damage his reputation. In a response shared via his Instagram stories, Seyi stated, “I have never held a meeting to discuss any subject matter with Comrade Isah in Lagos or anywhere else in the world. I have never knowingly met him before, nor did I visit any location with thugs. All these allegations are completely fictional.”

Backing Seyi’s denial, the Special Assistant to the President on Student Affairs and former NANS president, Sunday Asefon, alleged that the student leader’s claims were orchestrated by political actors seeking to destabilize the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 elections. Among those named was former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

El-Rufai, reacting to the allegations on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, called for accountability and transparency, questioning the silence of law enforcement agencies. “What is going on here? Is there a denial by the named culprits or any response from law enforcement agencies or inquiries by human rights organisations? We must ask questions, demand answers and action!! #JusticeforNANSPresident,” he posted.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also weighed in, condemning what he described as the “intimidation” of a civil society figure. Through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku warned against reducing governance to a family affair.

“It is intolerable that the first family would seek to subjugate NANS or any civil society group through threats, bribes, or brute force. The presidency is a public trust, not a private inheritance,” he said, while calling for an independent investigation into the matter.

Afenifere, however, maintained that the uproar is a strategic campaign by those unwilling to confront the administration through legitimate political channels. The group also urged student leaders and youth groups to resist being used as “political pawns.”

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