One of the founders of the “Tinubu Must Go” movement, Hamza Nuhu Dantani, has challenged the Borno State Police Command's clarification on the arrest and prosecution of five persons in Maiduguri. Dantani, a human rights activist, found discrepancies between the police account and the charge sheet before the court. The police stated the five suspects were arrested for alleged thuggery, inciting public disturbance, and possession of illicit substances, but denied they were targeted for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts.
According to the police, officers recovered 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, one shisha pot, a pair of scissors, and two T-shirts bearing the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription. However, Dantani alleged that the items listed by the police were not reflected in the particulars of the offences contained in the charge sheet before the court, apart from the reference to the inscription. He questioned the police's claims.
Dantani asked why the alleged items recovered from the suspects were not captured in the particulars of the offences for which they were arraigned. He argued that a police press statement could not substitute for the charge before the court, and the prosecution must establish the ingredients of the specific offences charged through admissible evidence and the particulars contained in the charge.
The activist further questioned how the alleged items, even if recovered, established the offences of conspiracy and inciting public disturbance for which the five persons were prosecuted. Dantani stressed that the presumption of innocence remained fundamental, with every person charged with a criminal offence presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.
Dantani urged the police to exercise caution when making public statements about persons who had not been convicted, as such statements could affect their reputation, dignity, and fundamental rights. He called on the Borno State Police Command to explain the apparent contradiction between the charge sheet and the statement issued by its spokesperson.
The activist also urged the command to review the circumstances surrounding the continued detention of the five persons and, where the charges were found to be unsupported or legally defective, take appropriate lawful steps to bring the matter to an end. Dantani emphasized that no citizen should remain in prison custody merely because of a political expression.
The Borno State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Naziru Abdulmajid, has yet to respond to Dantani's allegations. The incident has raised concerns about the police's handling of the case and the potential implications for freedom of expression in Nigeria.
Key points
- Activist challenges police account of arrests over 'Tinubu Must Go' T-shirts
- Discrepancies found between police statement and charge sheet
- Police urged to exercise caution in public statements about unconvicted persons
