Five men, aged between 21 and 44, have been arraigned in a Maiduguri court for wearing T-shirts bearing the message "Tinubu Must Go". The men, identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio, and Abdulhamid Mohammed, were arrested on September 25, 2026, around the West End Roundabout community in Maiduguri, Borno State. According to the police, the men conspired to print and wear the shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
The five men have been 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 charges were brought after a First Information Report (FIR) was issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Maiduguri. The men pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their lawyers have applied for bail, with a ruling expected on October 6, 2026.
The arrests have drawn criticism from Amnesty International, which has called for the men to be released and the charges against them to be dropped. The human rights organization argues that political dissent expressed through clothing should not, by itself, amount to a criminal offence. Amnesty also accused the Borno authorities of using criminal law against political opposition.
There are unverified claims surrounding how the arrests were ordered, with a source alleging that Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum directed the state Commissioner of Police to arrest the men over the shirts. However, this allegation has not been independently established, and the police FIR does not cite such a directive as the basis for the charges.
The case comes as political activity builds ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections. The "Tinubu Must Go" slogan has previously appeared at anti-government protests, including demonstrations in which protesters carried placards with the same message. The central question before the court is whether the prosecution can establish that the defendants' actions amounted to the offences with which they have been charged.
The Borno State Police Command has not issued a public statement on the case, and its spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. The five men remain defendants, and the allegations against them have yet to be determined by the court. The court has fixed October 26, 2026, for the substantive case to be heard.
The case raises concerns about freedom of expression and the use of criminal law to silence political opposition. The defendants' lawyers are seeking bail for their clients, while Amnesty International continues to call for the charges to be dropped. The outcome of the case is expected to have implications for the exercise of political dissent in Nigeria.
Key points
- The arrests have sparked concerns about freedom of expression and the use of criminal law to silence political opposition.
- Amnesty International has called for the men to be released and the charges against them to be dropped.
- The case comes as political activity builds ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.
