According to sources, around 2:30pm on Friday, a group of four to five individuals arrived from Minna to Dadinkowa in Lapai.
Isah Mokwa, the Financial Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone C, has been assaulted by appointees of the Niger State Governor at his residence in Lapai Local Government Area.
The attack followed Mokwa’s critical Facebook posts concerning the state's student representation at the Capacity Building and Leadership Development Training Programme in Makurdi, held from August 11 to 14.
According to sources, around 2:30pm on Friday, a group of four to five individuals arrived from Minna to Dadinkowa in Lapai.
The group allegedly included Gambo Abubakar Mohammed, Mustapha Tijani, JCC Chairman Sallah, Kabiru Ndagi, Jamilu Ebbo, and Evutee, the Senior Special Assistant on Scholarship to the Governor.
They forcefully entered Mokwa’s room, demanding an explanation for his Facebook post.
"The group barged into Isah’s room and demanded to know what was happening," sources said. "They said it was about his Facebook post criticizing the state’s student representation." Mokwa’s post, which included a picture of the Director-General of Students Affairs, Niger State, Bello Barau Shariff, questioned the involvement of older representatives in student affairs, stating, "Why always Niger State students Constituency? Look at the old men representing Niger state proudly holding the bags. You guys have grown past this stage."
At 2:32pm, Mokwa was physically assaulted by the group. "They were armed and aggressive," said a witness. The attackers dragged him outside despite his objections.
Following the assault, Mokwa was taken to Lapai Police Station and later transferred to the Department of State Security Services (DSS) in Minna, where he remains detained.
Meanwhile, the attackers have been released, escalating concerns among Mokwa's supporters, who have also reported threats related to school admissions.
When contacted by SaharaReporters, Sheriff explained the situation, saying, "I think he made a post after we came back from a programme in Makurdi; a programme that was put in place by the representatives of the president."
Sheriff continued, “Isah started writing all sorts of things about me after the programme.
“And on Friday I was invited for a programme in IBB University which I had some of my colleagues to represent me, and it happened that there was one Lapai guy among them. So after the programme on their way to their colleagues’ house, they saw him (Isah) and they told him to stop and amd let them talk to him about the post he has been doing on Facebook.
“I don't know what happened, but in between, they started attacking each other."
Sheriff added that the situation escalated, leading to Isah being detained by the DSS.
"As we speak to you now, right now, I'm just from the DSS office on that same issue. And they are telling me it's no longer an issue between him (Isah) and the police because he was not showing remorse and they brought out all the knife issues.
“I personally pleaded with them for and we're on the same page on the issue now." Sheriff also mentioned that he was writing a letter to stand as surety for Isah's release from detention.