Political tension is rising in Borno State after fresh demonstrations by youths wearing Tinubu Must Go shirts, a warning from Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and growing calls for the release of five men arrested over the slogan.
NN News Media reported that Nigerians across the country have declared Tinubu Must Go and begun wearing shirts carrying the message in solidarity with the five men arrested in Maiduguri. Nigerians have demanded their immediate release and questioned whether peacefully expressing opposition to the president should lead to arrest.
The five men are Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
They were arrested in Maiduguri on September 25 and later charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri. Their lawyers applied for bail, with the court fixing October 6 to rule on the application. The main case was adjourned until October 26.
Zulum Denies Ordering Their Arrest
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has denied ordering or authorising the arrest of the five men.
The governor said he did not direct security agencies to arrest people simply because they were criticising him, President Bola Tinubu or the government. His position is that the arrests were matters for the police and other security agencies acting within their legal responsibilities.
Zulum has also warned that anyone who uses the protests as an opportunity to cause unrest, carry weapons or threaten peace and security in Borno will be arrested and detained.
The warning came after fresh footage showed dozens of youths marching in Maiduguri wearing white shirts bearing the Tinubu Must Go slogan in solidarity with the detained men.
The governor’s denial is significant because opposition groups and activists have accused his administration of using security agencies to suppress political dissent. The government has rejected that allegation and maintained that it supports lawful political activity while insisting that public order must be protected.
Zulum recently returned from trips to the United States and Canada and subsequently launched an All Progressives Congress mobilisation drive in Borno in support of President Bola Tinubu and other party candidates.
Police Give Different Reason for Arrests
The Borno State Police Command has also rejected claims that the five men were arrested simply because they wore political shirts.
Police said officers encountered the suspects during a patrol and allegedly recovered 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot, a pair of scissors and two Tinubu Must Go shirts.
The police said the suspects were investigated over allegations including public disturbance, thuggery and possession of suspected illicit drugs.
The command has described the police as a professional and non partisan institution and said it does not discriminate against Nigerians because of their political views or affiliations.
Rights Groups Challenge Arrests
Amnesty International has described the arrests as arbitrary and said wearing a shirt carrying a political message is not a crime. The organisation called for the five men to be released.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also condemned the arrests and called for the men to be freed if the political message on their clothing is the only reason for their detention.
The Youth Rights Campaign and the Borno chapter of the African Democratic Congress have accused the state government and police of using state power to silence dissent. The groups have demanded greater protection for political expression and the rights of citizens to criticise government officials.
The government has rejected the accusations and maintained that Governor Zulum did not order the arrests.
Protest Spreads Beyond Borno
The arrests have now developed into a wider national argument over political expression.
According to NN News Media, Nigerians in different parts of the country have responded by wearing Tinubu Must Go shirts and calling for the immediate release of the five men.
The campaign has also gained the support of Borno indigene and human rights lawyer Alkali Adamu Askira, who announced that he was joining the movement following the arrests.
The development has turned what began as the arrest of five men in Maiduguri into a broader debate about freedom of expression, political opposition, public order and the limits of police powers.
With the bail ruling expected on October 6 and the substantive case scheduled for October 26, attention remains focused on the court proceedings and on whether the controversy will lead to further demonstrations in Borno and other parts of Nigeria.
