The Borno state Police command has arrested and arraigned five men in Maiduguri over their alleged involvement in the printing and wearing of T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.” The five defendants were identified as 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 issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), the incident occurred on September 25, 2026.
The police listed the alleged offences as criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery, contrary to Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code. The case was subsequently brought before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, where all five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, their legal counsel moved an application for bail. The presiding magistrate adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, for ruling on the bail application.
The substantive trial has also been scheduled for October 26, when the court is expected to begin consideration of the allegations contained in the police case. The case has attracted public attention because the alleged conduct involves the use of a political message on clothing rather than a conventional public demonstration or protest. The police, however, maintain in the FIR that the alleged offence was not simply the expression contained on the shirts but the purported intention to cause a breach of public peace.
Amnesty International has strongly criticised the arrest and prosecution of the five men, arguing that peaceful political dissent is protected under fundamental rights. In a statement issued following the arrests, the organisation described the detention as arbitrary and unlawful, maintaining that wearing clothing carrying a political message does not, by itself, amount to a criminal offence. Amnesty called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees and urged the authorities to withdraw what it described as bogus charges.
The controversy has also been accompanied by allegations concerning the circumstances surrounding the arrests. A source cited by SaharaReporters alleged that the arrests followed a directive from Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, to arrest the men over the T-shirts. That allegation has not been independently verified and should therefore be treated as a claim by the source rather than an established fact.
The arrests have also occurred against the backdrop of increasing political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The “Tinubu Must Go” slogan has been used in political protests and demonstrations in different parts of the country, particularly by groups opposed to President Bola Tinubu and his administration. In Borno, however, the police case concerns the five individuals specifically named in the FIR and the alleged circumstances surrounding their activities at West End Roundabout.
For now, the five defendants remain before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, where the immediate issue is their application for bail. The court is expected to rule on the application on October 6, while the substantive case has been fixed for October 26. The proceedings will provide an opportunity for the prosecution to present evidence in support of its allegations and for the defendants to challenge the case against them.
Key points
- Amnesty International has condemned the arrests as arbitrary and unlawful.
- The five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
- The case has raised questions about the boundaries of political expression and the application of public-order laws.
