‘Tinubu Must Go’: Atiku camp, police clash over arrests

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest of five men in Maiduguri over their alleged involvement in activities linked to “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts, saying intimidation and arrests would not stop Nigerians from expressing their political preferences ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Borno State Police Command, however, said the suspects were not arrested simply for wearing the T-shirts, but over allegations of inciting public disturbance, breach of public peace, thuggery and possession of suspected illicit drugs.

The contrasting positions followed the arrest of the five men around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri on September 25, with the case subsequently taken to court.

The ADC campaign council, in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday, urged Nigerians to participate in the electoral process without fear or intimidation.

It also urged relevant authorities to protect citizens’ rights and ensure a peaceful and credible election, allowing voters to freely choose their preferred candidates at the polls.

“The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has condemned the arrest of members of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement in Maiduguri, Borno State, by the administration of Governor Babagana Zulum, describing the action as a reckless abuse of power and office.

“The arrest of members of the Tinubu Must Go (#TMG) movement in Maiduguri by the state governor is reckless and a total abuse of power and office. It is a welcome gift for President Tinubu.”

The council alleged that some state governors were competing to win Tinubu’s favour at the expense of the rights and welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

“What is in vogue among some of these current governors is a race to impress Tinubu at the expense of ordinary citizens.

“Nigerians have the constitutional right to express their political preferences and opinions, including calls to vote for the party and candidate of their choice in 2027.

“Expressing the slogan ‘Tinubu must go’ or ‘Tinubu must leave’ constitutes a form of political expression and, in itself, does not amount to a criminal offence,” it added.

Atiku’s camp further alleged that the arrests were aimed at intimidating members of the ADC and other opposition groups ahead of the 2027 elections.

The council, however, maintained that such arrests, harassment and intimidation would not stop Nigerians from exercising their right to vote.

“The intimidation of citizens through arrest and other unlawful means will not deter the people from voting out President Bola Tinubu in the January 16, 2027, election,” it added.

Similarly, the Borno State ADC Publicity Secretary, Ahmed Mustapha, in a statement on Wednesday, said the arrest of the five men showed that the APC in the state had lost touch with democracy.

He said, “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Borno State condemns in totality the Gestapo-like arrest and unlawful detention of five innocent youths whose only offence was wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription ‘Tinubu Must Go’.

“This cowardly act by the APC-led government in Borno State is not just an attack on these five youths; it is an attack on every citizen of Borno and on our constitution,” he added.

Mustapha said the APC government should redirect its focus to battling insecurity, hunger, and the welfare of flood victims who are still homeless, and the jobless youths.

“Therefore, the ADC Borno State chapter demands immediate and unconditional release of the five detained youths, and an unreserved public apology from the Borno State Government to the youth,” he said.

A human rights organisation, Amnesty International, slammed the police command and the All Progressives Congress over the arrest of five men for wearing “Tinubu-Must-Go” T-shirts in the state.

According to Amnesty International, the men were arrested around the West-end roundabout in Maiduguri, the state capital.

The organisation, in a statement on Tuesday on its Facebook page, identified the victims as Baba Aji Gremami; Mustapha Abba Yemen; Abacha Mohammed Ali; Adam Umar Gubio; and Abdulhamid Mohammed.

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The statement said they were “hurriedly” remanded in prison after accusing them “bizarrely” of causing a breach of public peace within West End Roundabout Community in  Maiduguri.

The statement read, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of five men by Nigeria Police Borno State command for wearing T-shirts with the caption: ‘Tinubu Must Go’ in Maiduguri.”

The statement condemned arresting someone simply for wearing a T-shirt with a message of political dissent.

“Hurriedly remanding them in prison and accusing them bizarrely of ‘the intent to cause breach of public peace within West End Roundabout Community, Maiduguri’ simply for wearing a T-shirt with a message of political dissent is not a crime,” it said.

The organisation called on the authorities to immediately release all of those detained and drop any purported plan to put them through what it described as “a sham trial based on bogus charges.”

It said, “Borno State government and the police have increasingly been carrying out repressive arrests and detentions targeting opposition political parties and their supporters.”

Also, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the state, Aliyu Balarabe, condemned the arrest, while calling for their immediate release.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Balarabe said the party would not tolerate a situation where the ruling party would be attacking dissenting voices.

He said, “We condemned their arrest in totality. The use of force in Borno State will not be sustained. Soon, we are issuing a statement on this matter.

“But for now, let it be known that an injury to one is an injury to all, and we will not allow the intimidation of opposing voices to stand.”

The state police command, however, clarified that the five suspects arrested with Tinubu-Must-Go T-shirts were intercepted by a patrol team with Indian hemp, scissors, among other items.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Nahum Daso, in a statement on Wednesday, said they were arrested on 25 September 2026, at about 1800hrs around the West End Roundabout area in Maiduguri, the capital of the state.

The statement read, “The attention of the Borno State Police Command has been drawn to the viral reports and widespread public discourse concerning the arrest and subsequent prosecution of five suspects in connection with allegations of inciting disturbance, breach of public peace, thuggery and owning drug substance”.

Providing the brief of the case, Daso said on 25 September 2026, at about 1800hrs, officers of the command, while on a routine township patrol around West End Roundabout area, Maiduguri, apprehended five suspects allegedly involved in conduct capable of causing public disturbance.

“The suspects were found in possession of 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, one shisha pot, one pair of scissors, two T-shirts bearing the inscription ‘Tinubu Must Go’,” he said.

The suspects, he said, were subsequently subjected to preliminary investigation, during which statements were obtained from them.

“Upon completion of the initial investigation, the case was charged to court,” he added.

The PPRO described the Nigeria Police Force as a professional, non-partisan institution which does not discriminate against persons based on political affiliation or viewpoint.

“The command remains committed to the protection of fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency in the discharge of its responsibilities,” he assured.

“The command further emphasises that the decision to charge the matter before a competent court is intended to allow the appropriate judicial process to take its course,” he added.

Daso urged members of the public to rely on verified information and allow the court to determine the matter based on the facts and evidence presented before it.

“The Borno State police command remains committed to professionalism, impartiality, accountability and the protection of lives and property,” he said.