MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE: Five men have been arrested and arraigned in Maiduguri, Borno State, over allegations linked to T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
The suspects 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 in Maiduguri, the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, around the West End Roundabout area of the state capital.
The police accused the five men of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery, citing Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
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 defendants appeared before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their lawyers subsequently applied for bail. Reports indicate that the court adjourned the bail application for ruling on October 6, while the substantive case is scheduled for October 26.
The arrests have drawn criticism from human rights advocates. Amnesty International has condemned the action and described the arrests as an infringement on peaceful political expression, while calling for the men to be released.
There have also been allegations that the arrests followed a directive from Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum. However, that claim has not been independently verified, and the police FIR cited the alleged conduct of the suspects as the basis for the charges.
The case comes amid increased political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The allegations against the five men remain before the court and have yet to be determined judicially
