The Borno State Police Command has made it clear that five suspects taken into custody in Maiduguri were not prosecuted merely for wearing T-shirts with “Tinubu Must Go” printed on them, but rather for over accusations of inciting disturbance, breaching public peace, thuggery, and possessing drug substances.
In a press release issued on Wednesday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, speaking for the Commissioner of Police, the Command said its attention had been drawn to viral reports and extensive public discussion concerning the case.
The statement noted that officers conducting a routine township patrol near the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri on 25 September 2026, at roughly 6pm, arrested the five suspects.
“The suspects were found in possession of: 1. 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp; 2. 100 tablets suspected to be D5; 3. One shisha pot; 4. One pair of scissors; 5. Two T-shirts bearing the inscription ‘Tinubu Must Go.'”
The Command said the suspects were subjected to a preliminary investigation, during which their statements were taken.
After the initial investigation was concluded, the case was taken to court.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,” the statement read.
“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.”
It further stated that the choice to bring the matter before a competent court was made so that the proper judicial process could proceed without interference.
The public was encouraged to depend on verified information and to let the court decide the matter according to the facts and evidence placed before it.
This clarification follows the arrests, which sparked widespread controversy.
Early reports suggested that the five men—named in earlier accounts as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio, and Abdulhamid Mohammed—were accused of plotting to print and wear the “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts, allegedly intending to disturb public peace around the West End Roundabout community.
The charges they faced included criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, and thuggery under provisions of the Borno State Penal Code.
The suspects were brought before the court and remanded.
The turn of events provoked strong reactions from civil society organizations and opposition figures.
Amnesty International condemned the arrests as arbitrary, calling the detention an act of selective injustice intended to suppress opposition.
The rights group maintained that expressing political dissent peacefully through clothing is a fundamental human right rather than a crime and demanded the men’s immediate and unconditional release along with the dismissal of what it described as a “sham trial based on bogus charges.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the arrests and urged that the five individuals be released.
The Borno State Police Command insisted that it stay committed to professionalism, impartiality, accountability, and the protection of lives and property.
