Five men have been arrested and arraigned in Maiduguri, Borno State, over allegations that they printed and wore T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
The defendants — Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21 — were charged before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
According to a First Information Report (FIR) issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, at about 11 a.m. around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri.
The police accused the 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 prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired to print and wear the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace in the area. The five men pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their lawyer subsequently applied for bail.
The court adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application, while the substantive trial was fixed for October 26, 2026.
The arrests have attracted criticism from rights advocates and commentators, with Amnesty International condemning the reported detention of the men.
In a statement attributed to the organisation, Amnesty described the arrests as arbitrary and argued that expressing political dissent through a message on clothing should not, in itself, amount to a criminal offence.
The rights group called for the men to be released and urged authorities to discontinue what it described as a prosecution based on questionable charges.
Amnesty also said the right to express political opinions should apply regardless of political affiliation and urged the authorities to uphold freedom of expression and association.
Meanwhile, allegations have circulated that a prominent Borno politician may have influenced the arrests. However, those claims have not been independently established, and reports differ on whether the alleged directive has been confirmed by authorities.
The case comes amid increased political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with the “Tinubu Must Go” slogan featuring in recent political protests and demonstrations.
The court proceedings are expected to continue on October 6, when the bail application will be considered.
