The Borno State Police Command has arrested and charged five men accused of printing and wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” in Maiduguri. The defendants, aged between 21 and 44, face charges of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, and thuggery. According to a First Information Report, the men conspired to print and wear the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
The five men, identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio, and Abdulhamid Mohammed, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their counsel applied for bail, but the court adjourned the bail application to October 6 for ruling. The court also fixed October 26 for the substantive hearing of the case. Meanwhile, the men were remanded in a correctional facility.
The alleged offences contravene Sections 60, 78, 79, and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code. The arrests were made on September 25 at about 11 a.m. around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri. The police alleged that the men conspired to print and wear the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace. The specific circumstances surrounding the arrests remain subject to the ongoing court proceedings.
Amnesty International has condemned the detention of the five men, describing it as arbitrary. The rights organisation argues that wearing a T-shirt carrying a message of political dissent should not, in itself, constitute a criminal offence. Amnesty called for the men’s release and urged authorities to discontinue what it described as prosecution based on questionable charges.
The arrests come amid heightened political activities ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The men’s detention has sparked concerns about freedom of expression and association in the country. Amnesty maintained that the right to express political opinions applies regardless of political affiliation and urged the authorities to respect freedom of expression and association.
The court proceedings are ongoing, with the bail application set to be ruled on October 6. The defendants’ counsel will likely argue that the charges against their clients are unfounded and that the arrests were arbitrary. The prosecution will need to provide evidence to support the charges against the five men.
The case has sparked a heated debate about the limits of free speech in Nigeria. While the authorities have a responsibility to maintain public order, the right to express political opinions is a fundamental human right. The outcome of the case will likely have implications for the exercise of free speech in the country.
Key points
- The five men were arrested for wearing 'Tinubu Must Go' T-shirts in Maiduguri, Borno state.
- Amnesty International has condemned the detention as arbitrary and called for the men's release.
- The case has sparked concerns about freedom of expression and association in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
