The founder of PRNigeria, Malam Yushau Shuaib, has vowed to challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissing the N1 billion suit he filed against the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, over his withdrawal from the prestigious Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47.
Justice Binta Fatima Nyako, in a judgment delivered on Monday, dismissed Shuaib’s suit, holding that the Institute acted within its disciplinary powers after finding that he had breached its confidentiality rules.
The court held that Shuaib had, by apologising on behalf of PRNigeria over a publication considered offensive by the Institute, effectively admitted wrongdoing.
Justice Nyako further held that the plaintiff could not claim he was denied fair hearing, having appeared before NIPSS’s disciplinary committee to respond to allegations against him before disciplinary action was taken.
The judge also held that Shuaib was bound by the oath of secrecy and confidentiality he subscribed to upon admission into the Senior Executive Course and was therefore obligated to comply with the Institute’s rules throughout the programme.
However, reacting to the judgment, Shuaib expressed disappointment with the court’s findings, insisting that the decision failed to distinguish between his personal conduct and the editorial independence of PRNigeria.
He maintained that before resuming at NIPSS, he had formally disengaged from the day-to-day editorial management of PRNigeria by handing over operational responsibilities in compliance with the Institute’s admission requirements.
According to him, it was therefore unjust to hold him personally liable for publications by an independent media organisation that he neither authored nor edited during the period of his participation in the course.
Shuaib also faulted the judgment for not making pronouncements on what he described as one of the central issues in the suit—the alleged unlawful access to his private email communications and expressed surprised that the court held that, the issue was not properly placed before it despite his contention that his constitutional right to privacy had been violated.
Declaring his intention to continue the legal battle, the PRNigeria founder said the judgment would immediately be challenged at the Court of Appeal.
“While I respect the judgment of the Federal High Court, I firmly believe there are substantial constitutional and legal issues that deserve appellate review. In the interest of justice, fairness and the protection of fundamental rights, we shall be approaching the Court of Appeal without delay,” he said.
Shuaib instituted the suit on July 7, 2025, after NIPSS withdrew him from the Senior Executive Course 47, seeking declarations that the Institute acted unlawfully, unconstitutionally and in breach of his fundamental rights.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1329/2025, filed by Yunus Abdulsalam, SAN, Shuaib sought N1 billion in general, special and aggravated damages for emotional trauma and reputational injury allegedly suffered as a result of his withdrawal from the programme.
He also sought N100 million as litigation costs, having earlier served a pre-action notice on June 16, 2025, to the Director-General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, which he claimed received no response.
Among the reliefs sought, the plaintiff asked the court to set aside his withdrawal from SEC 47, order his reinstatement with full rights and privileges, and restrain NIPSS from further acts of harassment, intimidation or cyberbullying.
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