Police prosecute 5 men over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-shirts

The Borno State Police Command has arrested and arraigned five men in Maiduguri for allegedly printing and wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”

According to a First Information Report (FIR) issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and verified through court officials, the suspects are Baba Aji Gremami (44), Mustapha Abba Yemen (28), Abbacha Mohammed Ali (32), Adam Umar Gubio (21), and Abdulhamid Mohammed (21).

The document, dated September 29, 2026, states that the incident occurred on September 25 at around 11:00 a.m. around the West End Roundabout community in the Borno State capital.

The police charged the defendants with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, and thuggery—offences the prosecution argues run contrary to Sections 60, 78, 79, and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.

When the case was brought before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, all five defendants pleaded not guilty. Their legal counsel subsequently moved a bail application.

The presiding judge adjourned the matter to October 6, 2026, for a ruling on bail, while the substantive trial has been slated for October 26, 2026.

In a strongly worded statement, Amnesty International (AI) slammed the charges against the men as bizarre, labeling their detention as an act of arbitrary arrest.

The organization emphasized that expressing peaceful political dissent through clothing is a fundamental human right, not a criminal offense.