Protest as police stop ‘Tinubu-Must-Go’ meeting in Kano

T****he police in Kano State yesterday blocked members of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ (TMG) movement from accessing the venue of a planned meeting, sparking protests by the organisers and condemnation from Amnesty International Nigeria and other stakeholders.

The police blockade in Kano came about two weeks after the arrest and arraignment of five men in Maiduguri, Borno State, over the use of T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”, which triggered criticisms from human rights groups and opposition figures.

The men – Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21- were arrested on September 25, 2026, around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri.

They were subsequently arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri on charges of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The police alleged that the defendants conspired to print and wear the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace. The command later said officers found them with suspected cannabis, tablets, a shisha pot and other items during a routine patrol. The allegations have not been established in court.

The arrests drew condemnation from Amnesty International, which described the detention as arbitrary and called for the men’s release, arguing that peaceful political expression should not be criminalised.

Following their arraignment, the defendants’ lawyers applied for bail. The court subsequently granted bail to the five men, according to reports published on October 7. The substantive case has been scheduled for October 26, 2026.

TMG alleges rights violation

Earlier, members of the movement protested the police blockade, alleging that heavily armed security operatives prevented them from accessing a private event centre they had paid to use.

In a live video posted on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, October 11, Hikima said more than 10 mobile police vehicles had been stationed at the venue.

He described the gathering as an exercise of the group’s constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, insisting that the organisers were not criminals and had no intention of causing trouble.

“Today, the 11th of October 2026, we gathered here in Kano State in order to exercise our fundamental human rights and to associate freely in order to exchange ideas and educate ourselves on the need to send away the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria,” Hikima said.

He accused the police of preventing the group from accessing the venue because of its opposition to the president’s administration.

The lawyer argued that the movement was entitled to assemble and exchange political opinions without obtaining police permission, citing Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which provide for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association, respectively.

Hikima also rejected suggestions that the group needed police approval to hold its meeting, saying the organisers intended to conduct themselves peacefully and within the law.

He vowed that the movement would continue its activities despite the incident, including organising further demonstrations.

“The Court of Appeal decision stands. I do not need to inform any security agent to hold my rallies. Next time, we are going to protest; next time, we are going to demonstrate,” he said.

Police defend Kano blockade

Meanwhile, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has defended the action, saying the command was concerned about public safety and needed to ascertain the nature of the gathering before providing security.

In an interview with an online platform, DCL Hausa, Bakori said he contacted one of the conveners, a lawyer, Abba Hikima, after seeing information about the planned meeting on social media.

“I saw it yesterday on social media that they are coming to hold a gathering. I called Barrister Hikima and asked him what was happening. He said it was a gathering they wanted to hold, and I said it was important that we were aware so that we could provide protection,” the commissioner said.

According to him, Hikima disclosed that about 700 people were expected to attend the gathering, prompting him to request a postponement to allow both parties to discuss security arrangements.

“He said 700 people would be coming into the state. I said the number was high and that he should postpone it and come so that we could discuss it. He said he would think about it and get back to me,” Bakori said.

The commissioner alleged that he later attempted to reach Hikima by telephone but the lawyer did not respond to his calls.

Bakori said the police needed to know the number of people attending such gatherings and the nature of the activities planned to ensure adequate security.

“We have to regulate. Who is coming? What type of event is he holding? We need to know,” he said.

He cited a recent incident in which the police allegedly intercepted arms from people who came to Sabon Gari in Kano under the guise of attending a political gathering.

He said the incident was still under investigation, adding that the command could not ignore security concerns when organisers announced plans to bring hundreds of people into the state.

Bakori, however, maintained that the police were not seeking to prevent the organisers from exercising their rights but wanted to ensure the safety of participants and other residents.

“It’s part of their right to bring people together and do whatever, and nobody will stop them. Legally, it is not compulsory, but we also have a mandate to ensure that nothing goes wrong for or against them,” he said.

He added that dialogue between the organisers and the police could have helped resolve the concerns surrounding the meeting.

“Where someone’s right stops is where another person’s right begins. It’s an easy thing that we will just come and discuss, so that they could be protected also,” the commissioner said.

Amnesty International condemns blockade

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the police action, describing the blockade as an unlawful restriction of the group’s rights.

In a statement, the human rights organisation said heavily armed police officers blocked both ends of the road leading to the venue of the TMG event.

“Amnesty International strongly condemns the unlawful and outrageous blocking of the venue of a ‘Tinubu-Must-Go’ event Today in Kano,” the organisation said.

It urged the Nigeria Police Force to desist from what it described as reckless violations of human rights, stressing that supporters of political candidates and parties had the right to organise peaceful activities.

“The duty of the police is to facilitate peaceful conduct of such political gatherings no matter the political party or candidate being supported or opposed,” the organisation said.

Amnesty International added that freedom of association and peaceful assembly was not exclusive to any political party or its supporters.

The organisation further described the incident as part of what it called a troubling pattern of police repression targeting opposition members in different parts of the country.

It warned that repeated attacks and intimidation against opposition supporters could make it more difficult for them to associate freely and organise public gatherings.

The incident has renewed debate over the balance between police responsibility for public safety and citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, particularly as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

APC using police to suppress dissent – ADC

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has condemned the Kano State Police Command for disrupting the “Tinubu Must Go” rally in Kano.

While describing the action as “shameful, unconstitutional and a disturbing descent into authoritarianism”, the campaign council accused the police of violating Nigerians’ fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

In a statement on Sunday, Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the rally, led by Barrister Abba Hikima and organised by concerned youths, was reportedly disrupted when police operatives barricaded The Avenue Event Centre and allegedly intimidated participants.

Despite the police action, the council said the youths demonstrated courage and determination by refusing to be silenced and insisting on making their voices heard.

The ADC-PCC expressed outrage over the reported arrest of the owner of The Avenue Event Centre for allegedly allowing the facility to be used for the gathering, describing the development as another “troubling indication of the APC-led government’s intolerance of dissent.”

The party questioned why a business owner should face arrest for making a facility available for a peaceful gathering.

“This is not democracy. This is tyranny. For how long will the APC continue to use the police to suppress dissenting voices?” Ologbondiyan queried.

He described as ironic a situation in which a government that claims to uphold democratic values appears threatened by citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

“The message from Kano is loud and clear: Nigerians are tired, hungry and angry. You can stop a rally and arrest a venue owner, but you cannot arrest hunger in the land. You cannot barricade the anger and frustration of over 200 million people,” he said.

Ologbondiyan argued that the government’s priorities were misplaced, insisting that the same determination displayed in disrupting the rally should instead be directed towards tackling insecurity, banditry and the crushing cost of living.

“If the APC government had deployed the same energy it used to stop a peaceful rally at The Avenue Event Centre to tackle insecurity, banditry and the excruciating cost of living, Nigeria would be a safer and more prosperous nation,” he added.

The council commended Barrister Abba Hikima and the youths who participated in the rally for their courage and determination to speak out despite the reported police intimidation.

It also called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Kano State Police Command to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the event centre owner, if still in custody, and to desist from actions capable of turning the police into an instrument of political oppression.

The ADC-PCC further urged civil society organisations, human rights groups and the international community to pay close attention to what it described as a dangerous erosion of democratic freedoms in Nigeria.

“The right to protest is not a privilege granted by the police or the APC; it is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. No amount of intimidation will stop Nigerians from demanding change.

“The ADC stands firmly with Barrister Abba Hikima, the courageous youths of Kano and every Nigerian who has found the courage to say enough is enough,” the statement said.