Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has been accused of orchestrating the arrest and detention of a young woman identified as Maryam Bukar, who was reportedly detained after a video call of a romantic nature with the Nigerian president surfaced.
In a video obtained, a man speaking in Hausa alleged that Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, was involved in Bukar’s arrest and continued detention.
The man claimed that Bukar has been held for about 10 months following the controversy surrounding the video call.
He further stated that Ribadu initially acknowledged the detention was unlawful and urged the woman to remain calm.
“Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is being accused of arresting this innocent woman unlawfully. But what happened?” the man asked in the video.
He continued, “Tinubu was allegedly making video calls to her. She showed me the video call between her and Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“She recorded the video call in order to have evidence, so that she would have proof. She showed it to me. Wait, I saw the video call.”
Providing further details, he said, “She did not record Tinubu naked; he was wearing a jellabiya, and it was a romantic-style conversation.”
Jellabiya is a traditional long, loose-fitting garment worn in parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Horn of Africa.
The man claimed that the situation may have triggered jealousy within the Presidential household.
“We do not know whether Tinubu intended to make her a kind of ‘second First Lady,’ which may be why Oluremi is allegedly jealous,” he alleged.
He further stated, “Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, had a young woman named Maryam Bukar arrested simply because she confronted Tinubu about wanting her.”
According to the source, Maryam was first arrested and detained for days on the grounds that she recorded the alleged video call involving President Tinubu.
“Whatever happened, Nuhu Ribadu arrested her for four days on the grounds that she recorded that video call of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
He added that during that initial detention, Ribadu allegedly spoke with her and acknowledged that her arrest lacked legal basis.
“She called me; he sat down with her and told her to be patient, that her arrest was unlawful. He promised to give her and her family some money, but he did not fulfill that promise,” the man claimed.
The source further revealed that after her initial release, a petition was written regarding the matter.
“She called me and I wrote this petition. Now Ribadu has had her arrested again, and she has been detained for more than eight months since the 20th of June,” he alleged.
The case, according to him, has been formally lodged with the National Human Rights Commission.
“For over eight months now, she has been in detention. Her case has been registered with the National Human Rights Commission,” he said.
The man called on the National Security Adviser to address the allegations and secure her release.
“We are calling on Nuhu Ribadu to immediately release Maryam Bukar or respond to this call,” he stated.
Meanwhile, in a petition dated April 4, 2025, addressed to the National Human Rights Commission by DATTIJO Multi-Purpose Business General Contract, Merchandise Trading, Supply & Distribution of General Goods, a complaint was lodged against the National Security Adviser.
The petition was also copied to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The petition, titled “Petition and Complaint Against the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for Allegedly Giving an Illegal Order to Nigerian Military Personnel to Unlawfully Arrest Hajiya Maryam Bukar”, alleged that Nuhu Ribadu ordered the Nigerian military to unlawfully and forcefully arrest Maryam Bukar, described as a close associate of President Bola Tinubu.
The petition further alleged that she was detained for four days simply because Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari reportedly sent the NSA screen recordings of her video call with the President.
According to the petitioner, upon reviewing the video clip, nothing offensive or illegal was found in its content.
It was also stated that the commando-style manner in which Maryam Bukar was arrested tarnished her reputation within her community and left her experiencing anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma.
Additionally, the National Human Rights Commission, with reference number C/2025/CPR/746/HQ, acknowledged receipt of the petition on April 14, 2025.
In the acknowledgment letter signed by Faith Okeosisi on behalf of the Executive Secretary, the Commission stated that the complaint had been duly registered as C/2025/CPR/746/HQ and was receiving attention.
It added that the petitioner would be informed of the outcome of the investigation in due course.
The acknowledgment letter read in part: “The National Human Rights Commission is in receipt of your complaint dated 4th April, 2025, on the above subject matter.
“The complaint has been registered as C/2025/CPR/746/HQ and it is receiving attention.
“You shall be informed of the outcome of our investigation on the matter in due course.”
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