The Borno State Police Command has arrested and charged five men in Maiduguri over T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”, according to a First Information Report, FIR, issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The men were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
The FIR, dated September 29, 2026, was reportedly forwarded to the Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri.
According to the police document, the men allegedly conspired to print and wear the T-shirts around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri on September 25, with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
The allegations against them include criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery, under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The police said the alleged incident occurred at about 11am on September 25.
Reports from multiple Nigerian media outlets indicate that the five men were arraigned and pleaded not guilty. However, details of the subsequent court proceedings have varied across reports. One report said the case was adjourned to October 6 for a ruling on bail, with the substantive trial scheduled for October 26.
The arrest has drawn reactions from political and human rights groups.
Amnesty International condemned the reported detention, arguing that wearing a T-shirt carrying a message of political dissent should not, by itself, constitute a criminal offence. The organisation called for the men’s release and an end to what it described as prosecution based on questionable charges.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Borno also condemned the arrests and described the action as an attempt to restrict political expression. Those characterisations are claims by the organisations and have not been established by a court.
A separate report by SaharaReporters cited an unnamed source who alleged that the arrests followed a directive from Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to the state Commissioner of Police. That allegation has not been independently verified, and the police FIR cited in the reports does not establish that such a directive was issued by the governor.
The development comes amid increased political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the phrase “Tinubu Must Go” increasingly appearing at political gatherings and protests.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for 2027, recently endorsed the broader “Tinubu Must Go” movement, describing it as reflecting a desire for political change.
In the Borno case, however, the police allegations specifically concern the production and wearing of the T-shirts and the claim that the activity was intended to cause a disturbance of public peace.
The five defendants remain entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until the allegations against them are established in court.
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