Yushau Shuaib, a Nigerian public relations professional, has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he describes as “unjust, humiliating, and deeply distressing” treatment at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.
Shuaib was allegedly suspended from the senior executive course (SEC) 47 over articles supporting the president’s digital and blue economy agenda.
Shuaib who is the founder of PRNigeria, a news organisation, accused the institute of harassment, cyberbullying, and professional ostracisation, despite his full compliance with institutional guidelines and ethical publishing practices.
He made this known in a petition titled; “Unjust Treatment at NIPSS Over Articles Supporting Digital and Blue Economy Reforms.”
He explained that his suspension was followed by an order to vacate the NIPSS premises on May 2, 2025.
The abrupt action shocked his family and colleagues, who were left to speculate on the rationale, especially since all other participants remained in the programme.
“This petition sets the record straight and seeks to prevent false insinuations that could damage my reputation,” he stated.
Shuaib recalled how the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) nominated him to take the esteemed SEC 47 course on October 28, 2024, just after he had won an international award in Belgrade. He enrolled in the course in good faith after leaving his position at Image Merchants Promotion Ltd.
However, Shuaib did not write or edit the story “NIPSS Goes Digital,” which was published by PRNigeria on March 21, 2025. The institute’s move to a paperless system was praised in the piece, which also emphasised how well it fits with Tinubu’s agenda for digital transformation.
Nima Salman Mann, the acting director of studies, sent Shuaib an inquiry in spite of this favourable publicity. A.A. Mustapha, a directing staff member, then put pressure on Shuaib to rescind his original written defence and submit a rewritten one that they dictated.
Shuaib was called before a disciplinary panel on April 7, 2025, but he was not given the chance to speak or make his case. The panel relied completely on the modified response forced by Rear Admiral Mustapha, rather than the original reply he had prepared.
After that, he received a confusing final warning letter, which was the first and only official warning he had received since the program’s start.
Other participants also reportedly faced disproportionate sanctions.
On April 28, Shuaib received another query—less than two months after the first. This time, the NIPSS cited a restricted internal PRNigeria editorial email dated April 25, 2025, titled “Understanding the ‘Blue’ in the Blue Economy: A PR Perspective.” The unauthorised interception of this internal correspondence constituted a serious breach of digital privacy and can rightly be described as cyberbullying and cybercrime.
“The article, which I authored and later published in the media, provided insights into the government’s Marine and Blue Economy agenda from a Public Relations standpoint and did not refer to NIPSS whatsoever. Shockingly, the institute had accessed the email before it reached its intended editorial recipient, an act of unwarranted surveillance and professional misconduct.
“This act was not just a violation of privacy—it amounted to cyberbullying and professional misconduct,” he stated.
The mental strain from the ordeal reportedly led to a hypertension diagnosis at the NIPSS clinic. According to Shuaib, an official directive later barred other participants from interacting with him, leaving him completely isolated.
In addition to his suspension and exclusion from all official communication platforms, Shuaib was denied participation in the SEC 47 international study tours, despite having paid the full ₦18.2 million fee. All other participants were granted travel privileges and Estacodes for official tours across Africa and other continents.
Shuaib told an internal investigative committee—convened after his suspension—that while NIPSS’s Terms of Undertaking emphasise confidentiality, they do not define what qualifies as public, restricted, or classified information, as the institute does not have a communication policy to guide social or media engagement of the participants.
“All my articles were based on publicly available national discourse and never revealed internal NIPSS content,” he insisted. Following two appearances before the committee, he said he received no further communication.
Shuaib urged an independent investigation into the disciplinary process and cyber-privacy violations and a review of his suspension and exclusion.
He urged the establishment of a clear communication policy for participants at NIPSS.
Additionally, he criticised what he called NIPSS’s overly militarised academic environment, arguing that this approach differs from international best practices at universities that value academic freedom and constructive dissent, such as Brookings (USA), Chatham House (UK), SWP (Germany), and RSIS (Singapore).
“All I seek is the opportunity to complete the course, reclaim my dignity, and continue contributing meaningfully to the development of our great nation,” he concluded.
As at press time, NIPSS management has not publicly responded to the allegations.
