The Borno State Police Command has explained why five men arrested in Maiduguri over T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” were taken to court, saying the case involved allegations beyond the political message displayed on the clothing.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested during a routine patrol around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri on September 25, 2026, at about 6pm.
The Command said officers found the five men in possession of suspected illicit substances and other items, alongside two T-shirts carrying the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, the Command said the items recovered included 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot and scissors, in addition to the two T-shirts.
The police said the suspects were subsequently subjected to preliminary investigation, during which statements were obtained from them before the matter was taken to court.
The Command stressed that the men were not prosecuted simply because they wore or possessed shirts expressing opposition to President Bola Tinubu.
Instead, police said the case involved allegations of inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, thuggery and possession of suspected drug substances.
The police also maintained that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional and non-partisan institution that does not discriminate against citizens because of their political affiliation or viewpoint.
The Command said bringing the case before a competent court was intended to allow the judicial process to determine the facts and evidence.
It urged members of the public to rely on verified information while allowing the court to handle the matter.
The suspects have been identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
Earlier court documents cited in reports on the case listed allegations including criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under relevant provisions of the Borno State Penal Code.
The allegations against the defendants have not been established as facts, and the case remains subject to determination by the court.
The arrests generated controversy after reports emerged that the men had been detained in connection with the “Tinubu Must Go” shirts.
Amnesty International criticised the arrests, arguing that peaceful political expression should not be criminalised. The organisation called for the men to be released and for the charges to be dropped, describing the case as an attack on freedom of expression.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also called for the release of the five men, questioning the basis for treating a political slogan displayed on clothing as a criminal offence.
The police, however, have maintained that the prosecution is based on the wider allegations against the suspects and not merely the inscription on the T-shirts.
The Borno Police Command said it remains committed to fundamental human rights, rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency.
With the matter now before the court, the allegations against the fiv e men will be tested through the judicial process.
The case has consequently become a focal point in the wider debate over the balance between political expression, public order and law enforcement in Nigeria.
