Malam Yushau Shuaib, the founder of PRNigeria and a prominent public relations expert, has demanded his immediate reinstatement into the Senior Executive Course (SEC 47) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), following his controversial withdrawal from the programme.
In a formal pre-action notice dated June 16, 2025, and addressed to the NIPSS Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, Shuaib is also seeking N1 billion in compensation for alleged reputational damage, emotional distress, and financial losses. The notice, signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yunus Abdulsalam, claims that Shuaib’s removal from the elite training course was unjust and carried out under false pretences.
The legal document accuses NIPSS of a series of infractions, including cyberstalking, unlawful access to private email communication, and baseless disciplinary measures. These actions, the legal team argues, were part of a deliberate attempt to humiliate Shuaib and expel him from the programme.
Shuaib, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), was admitted into SEC 47 earlier in the year. Tensions reportedly began after he received two separate queries from NIPSS, allegedly prompted by newspaper articles linked to him.
One article, titled “NIPSS Goes Digital: Launches Paperless Platform after Submitting Landmark Report to President Tinubu,” was published by his PRNigeria platform. Although NIPSS found the piece offensive, Shuaib denied authoring or approving it, insisting it was independently published by various media outlets and contained no confidential information.
The second query referenced an article authored by Shuaib on the Blue Economy, titled “Understanding the ‘Blue’ in the Blue Economy: A PR Perspective.” His legal counsel maintains that the article had no relevance to NIPSS activities and falls under constitutionally protected freedom of expression.
The legal team alleges that NIPSS accessed Shuaib’s private email without consent, describing the action as a serious breach of digital privacy and a violation of constitutional rights under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
“The queries and removal process were malicious and unfounded, driven by institutional malice,” the letter reads. It further claims that despite Shuaib’s cooperation and adherence to protocol, he was treated in a manner contrary to the principles of fairness and professionalism.
The pre-action notice gave NIPSS a 14-day ultimatum to reinstate Shuaib into SEC 47 with full privileges, including participation in international study tours; withdraw all disciplinary actions taken against him; issue a written apology to Shuaib and the NIPR; and pay N1 billion in compensation for the alleged harm caused.
The legal team warned that failure to comply would lead to formal legal proceedings, potentially raising broader concerns about digital rights, institutional accountability, and freedom of expression within Nigeria’s foremost policy institution.
As of the time of this report, NIPSS has not issued an official response to the notice.