Five Remanded in Borno Over “Tinubu Must Go” T-Shirts

Five men have found themselves in custody in Maiduguri after a political message printed on their T-shirts brought them before a court.

ValidViewNetwork can confirm that the men appeared in court after their arrest over clothing bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”, a slogan directed at President Bola Tinubu.

According to the police account, the men were arrested in Maiduguri on September 25 and accused of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.

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WHO ARE THE SUSPECTS?

The men are aged between 21 and 44.A separate report identified them as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.

Police alleged that the men printed the shirts and intended to cause a breach of public peace.The men were subsequently arraigned and remanded in custody, with proceedings continuing on October 6.

AMNESTY’S POSITION

Amnesty International Nigeria said the men were supporters of the opposition African Democratic Congress.

The organisation called for their immediate release and criticised what it described as charges based on their political expression. “The right to show and express political opinion is not exclusive to only one political party,” Amnesty said, according to AFP.

ValidViewNetwork stresses that these are competing positions in an ongoing legal matter. The allegations against the defendants have not been presented here as established facts beyond what the police and rights organisation have separately stated.

POLITICAL CONTEXT

The arrests come as political activities intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The legal question will ultimately be determined through the applicable Borno State laws and the court proceedings. ValidViewNetwork reports.