1 day ago
1
Your Excellency,
I write to you with profound humility and a deep sense of civic responsibility as a patriotic Nigerian and PR professional, whose nomination to participate in Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru you approved.
This petition seeks to draw your attention to the unjust, humiliating, and deeply distressing treatment I have endured at NIPSS, Kuru, where I was abruptly forced to leave by the management. Upon my return home, my family, professional colleagues, and well-wishers were alarmed to see me back so unexpectedly, struggling to understand what could have warranted such an extreme measure — especially when all other participants remained in the Institute.
Beyond seeking justice, this petition serves to set the record straight and prevent any misleading insinuations or falsehoods that could tarnish my reputation as a law-abiding citizen.
I have dedicated my professional career and platforms to advancing transparency, unity, and ethical governance — principles that are clearly reflected in the referenced published articles. I now appeal for your intervention, not only to secure personal justice but also to uphold the credibility of NIPSS and prevent future injustices against other patriotic participants who may face similar unfair treatment.
Despite my full compliance with all institutional requirements and my unwavering commitment to professionalism — I have been subjected to harassment, cyberbullying, and systematic exclusion. This has culminated in my abrupt suspension, the issuance of a directive forbidding fellow participants from engaging with me, and my removal from all official communication platforms.
These punitive actions were taken against me solely in response to harmless and positive reports that aligned with and promoted the Digital and Blue Economy Agenda of your administration — articles in which your name was prominently mentioned in a favourable light.
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2. Nomination and Honourable Intent
On 28 October, 2024, shortly after receiving the prestigious Golden World Award from the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) in Belgrade, I was contacted by Dr Ike Neliaku (fnipr), the president of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). He informed me that the NIPR Governing Council had nominated me to represent the Institute at SEC 47, NIPSS.
Motivated by this honour, I formally disengaged from my company, Image Merchants Promotion Ltd (publishers of PRNigeria), before I began the course this year, with commitment, humility, and adherence to all guidelines.
3. Instances of Unjust Treatment
a. The “Digital Economy” Incident
On 21 March, PRNigeria published a news story, “NIPSS Goes Digital: Launches Paperless Platform After Submitting Landmark Report to President Tinubu,” which I neither wrote nor edited. Nonetheless, it was misinterpreted as a breach of NIPSS protocol. Despite my explanation that the article was public, positive, and published by other media, I was issued a query at the directive of Mr Nima Salman Mann, the acting director of Studies. A Directing Staff, Rear Admiral Mustapha, rejected my initial written defence, insisting that I “tone it down” and that I should remove certain sections of it. Though disheartened, I reluctantly revised and rewrote the response, as directed by directing staff, to avoid unnecessary conflict and protect my reputation.
b. Disciplinary Panel and Final Warning
Despite my full compliance, I was summoned before a disciplinary panel on 7 April, without being granted the opportunity to speak or present my case. The panel relied exclusively on the edited and rewritten version of my response, disregarding critical context. To my shock, I was subsequently issued a FINAL WARNING — despite never having received any prior warnings — and for an offence I did not commit.
I was deeply alarmed to witness other participants at the panel facing similarly disproportionate sanctions for equally trivial matters. One individual was formally queried simply for acknowledging the infrastructural initiatives of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State during a vote of thanks at Government House, Jos. Another was punished for arriving late due to a family emergency, while a third was reprimanded for positively representing NIPSS in external engagements — actions that should have been met with understanding, not punitive measures.
c. Second Query: A Harmless Commentary
On 28 April, I received yet another query — less than two months after the first — this time citing a restricted internal PRNigeria editorial email dated 25 April, 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, provided insights into the Marine and Blue Economy agenda from a Public Relations standpoint and did not refer to NIPSS in any way or manner whatsoever. Shockingly, the institute accessed the email before it reached its intended editorial recipient — a clear act of unwarranted surveillance and professional misconduct.
On 2 May, I was served a suspension letter by Professor Elias Wahab. The next day, a delegation from NIPR informed me that NIPSS had advised the Institute (NIPR) to consider withdrawing my nomination or risk future disqualification from the programme. Out of loyalty to my professional body, I complied with their request to apologise and withdraw my original response, despite the glaring injustice. Subsequently, I was removed from all official SEC 47 communication platforms.
d. Medical Impact and Forced Isolation
The psychological distress from this ordeal triggered a hypertension diagnosis at the Institute’s clinic. With no family nearby, I leaned on supportive colleagues — only to be officially alienated by a directive barring participants from interacting with me.
5. Suspension and Exclusion
On 2 May, I was served a suspension letter by Professor Elias Wahab. The next day, a delegation from NIPR informed me that NIPSS had advised the Institute to consider withdrawing my nomination or risk future disqualification from the programme. Out of loyalty to my professional body, I complied with their request to apologise and withdraw my original response, despite the glaring injustice. Subsequently, I was removed from all official SEC 47 communication platforms. On 7 May, participants were formally instructed to cease all contact with me, treating me as a pariah and an outcast.
6. Investigative Committee and Communication Policy
Despite clear instructions in my suspension letter to vacate NIPSS premises immediately — which I complied with on 3 May — I was unexpectedly summoned by phone to appear before an investigative committee on 8 May. Traveling from Abuja to Kuru, I attended two separate sessions and submitted a detailed written account of my experience.
During the proceedings, which were fully video-recorded by the management, I emphasised a critical oversight in the NIPSS Terms of Undertaking — while it stresses confidentiality, it fails to clearly define what constitutes classified, restricted, or public information. Additionally, there is no established communication policy to guide participants’ engagement with the media or digital platforms.
I reiterated that all my published articles during my time at NIPSS were derived solely from publicly available information and national discourse, in full alignment with professional ethics. At no point did I disclose, reference, or misuse internal NIPSS content.
Following my appearances, I was given no resolution — only instructed to return to Abuja and await further directives, which never came.
7. Discriminatory Exclusion and from Study Tour
Meanwhile, in addition to my abrupt suspension, the directive barring fellow participants from engaging with me, and my removal from all official communication platforms, I was also unjustly excluded from the international study tours — an integral component of the SEC 47 programme. While all other participants were granted tour privileges (Estacodes) to Africa and other continents, I was denied this entitlement, despite having paid the full ₦18,200,000 course fee. As of today 30 May, the study tours had commenced, yet I have received no update or justification for my exclusion.
Beyond these incidents, I also witnessed the undue humiliation of highly respected participants, including distinguished academics/professors and senior executives from both the public and private sectors. Such treatment is not only demoralising but also starkly contradicts the professional and intellectual environment that NIPSS is expected to uphold.
8. Other Humiliating Incidents
Beyond these incidents, I also witnessed the undue humiliation of highly respected participants, including distinguished academics/professors and senior executives from both the public and private sectors. Such treatment is not only demoralising but also starkly contradicts the professional and intellectual environment that NIPSS is expected to uphold.
From my inquiries, I have learnt that such excessive militarisation has never been the standard practice in previous courses over the past 47 years. This raises a critical question — why the sudden shift toward excessive militarisation now?
9. Experience from other Strategic Policy Institutes
NIPSS is expected to reflect the standards of globally renowned strategic policy think tanks such as the Brookings Institution (USA), Chatham House (UK), African Leadership Institute (South Africa), SWP (Germany), ENA (France), RISSI (Russia) and RSIS (Singapore), which prioritise research, strategic leadership and policy development. These institutions operate within well-defined communication frameworks, uphold academic freedom, and foster an environment that encourages intellectual exchange.
In such settings, participants — whether fellows or trainees — are treated with dignity, respect, and professionalism. An environment where constructive dissent is encouraged and a non-punitive learning environment fosters open discourse without fear of intimidation.
I had hoped that NIPSS would embody these same principles, ensuring an inclusive, fair, and intellectually stimulating experience. But I am indeed shocked by what happened to me.
10. Conclusion and Prayer for Justice
I have dedicated my professional career and platforms to advancing transparency, unity, and ethical governance — principles that are clearly reflected in the referenced published articles. I now appeal for your intervention, not only to secure personal justice but also to uphold the credibility of NIPSS and prevent future injustices against other patriotic participants who may face similar unfair treatment.
I respectfully request that you:
a. Intervene and review the suspension and exclusion from the SEC 47 programme.
b. Order an independent investigation into the disciplinary processes, cyber privacy violations, and policy ambiguities.
c. Mandate the establishment of a clear communication policy for participants at NIPSS to prevent further victimisation.
All I seek is the opportunity to complete this course, reclaim my dignity, and continue contributing meaningfully to the development of our great nation.
I sincerely appreciate your attention to this matter and pray for your continued success in leading Nigeria with wisdom, justice, and courage.
Respectfully submitted,
Yushau A. Shuaib (mnipr)
Participant, SEC 47, NIPSS
English (US) ·