The Borno State Police Command has defended the arrest and prosecution of five men linked to the “Tinubu Must Go” campaign, saying they were not arrested simply for wearing the politically themed T-shirts but over alleged public disturbance, thuggery and possession of suspected illicit substances.
The five men are Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
According to a First Information Report (FIR) issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Maiduguri, and dated 29 September 2026, the men were accused of conspiring to print and wear T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” with the alleged intention of causing a breach of public peace around the West End Roundabout community.
They were charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court I, Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers subsequently applied for bail.
The court adjourned the matter to 6 October 2026, for ruling on the bail application, while 26 October was fixed for the substantive case.
Police: We recovered drugs, other items
The police gave a fresh account of the arrest on 30 September following widespread criticism over reports that the men had been arrested for wearing the T-shirts.
According to the command, the suspects were arrested at about 6 p.m. on 25 September during a routine township patrol around the West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
The police said the men were allegedly engaged in conduct capable of causing public disturbance and were found with 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot, a pair of scissors and two T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”.
The suspects were subsequently subjected to preliminary investigation, during which the police said statements were obtained from them.
“Upon completion of the initial investigation, the case was charged to court,” the command said.
The statement, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, said the Nigeria Police Force was a professional and non-partisan institution that did not discriminate against people based on their political affiliation or viewpoint.
The command also said it remained committed to the protection of fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency.
It urged the public to rely on verified information and allow the court to determine the case based on the evidence presented before it.
ADC rejects police account
The Borno State chapter of the ADC, however, disputed the police version of events, describing it as false.
The state chairman of the party, Kolo Bukar, said four of the five arrested men were ADC members, while the fifth person was not known to the party.
Bukar said the group had obtained clearance from the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to hold a peaceful gathering at the ADC secretariat around the West End Roundabout.
He alleged that the gathering was peaceful and conducted under the protection of security personnel, with participants wearing the “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts.
According to him, the arrests began after police officers detained one of the party members who had gone with them to collect some T-shirts allegedly confiscated during the gathering. He said other members later went to the police station to seek his release but were also detained.
“It’s very shameful for the Nigerian police to say that those arrested were found with drugs and dangerous weapons. This is completely a lie. These people went to bail their colleague who was arrested by the police, and they were all subsequently detained,” Bukar said.
The ADC chairman maintained that the youths were exercising their right to peaceful assembly and that their arrest was connected to the protest rather than the possession of drugs or weapons.
The police have rejected that interpretation, maintaining that the political messages on the T-shirts were not the basis for the arrests.
Amnesty condemns prosecution
Amnesty International had earlier condemned the arrest and prosecution of the five men, describing their detention as arbitrary.
The organisation said expressing political opposition through clothing constituted political expression and should not, in itself, amount to a criminal offence.
“Clearly, the intention of this reign of repression in Borno State appears to be selective injustice to curtail the opposition in the political space. It is sadly creating a toxic climate of fear that is contrary to the democratic principles of freedom and justice,” the statement read.
Amnesty called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees and urged the authorities to drop what it described as a “sham trial based on bogus charges”.
The rights organisation also said the right to express political opinions should be protected in a democratic society.
- Wike: I’ll Resign If Tinubu Loses FCT, Rivers in 2027 - October 1, 2026
- Independence Day: Mutfwang Pardons 130 Inmates, Commutes 4 Death Sentences - October 1, 2026
- Tinubu Extends 2025 Budget to December, Fourth Extension in One Year - October 1, 2026