BORNO YOUTHS MARCH IN “TINUBU MUST GO” SHIRTS AFTER FIVE PROTESTERS WERE ARRESTED
Dozens of youths have taken to the streets of Maiduguri, Borno State, wearing white T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go,” days after five men were arrested and arraigned over similar shirts.
The youths were seen marching together in Maiduguri on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in a demonstration that appeared to express solidarity with the five men currently facing charges before a Magistrate Court in the state.
Video footage circulating online showed the youths moving through parts of the city while wearing identical white shirts carrying the anti-Tinubu message. The circumstances surrounding the demonstration, including whether it received prior approval from security authorities, could not immediately be independently established.
The development followed the arrest of five men in Maiduguri on September 25 over their alleged involvement in printing and wearing T-shirts inscribed with “Tinubu Must Go.”
The five defendants were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
They were subsequently arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri on allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their bail application is expected to be ruled on October 6, while October 26 has been fixed for the substantive proceedings.
The arrests have generated controversy, with opposition politicians and rights groups questioning whether the men were being prosecuted for expressing a political opinion.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Borno State condemned the arrests and described the men’s actions as an exercise of their right to political expression. The party has called for their release.
However, the Borno State Police Command has rejected claims that the five men were arrested simply because they wore shirts criticising President Bola Tinubu.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested during a routine township patrol around the West End Roundabout in Maiduguri. Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso said officers 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 T-shirts bearing the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription.
The police said the men were arrested over allegations of conduct capable of causing a breach of public peace, as well as alleged thuggery and possession of suspected illicit substances. The command maintained that it is a professional and non-partisan institution that does not discriminate against people based on their political affiliations or viewpoints.
The police explanation has, however, been disputed by the ADC, which has alleged that the arrests were connected to a peaceful political gathering. The competing accounts have added to the controversy surrounding the case.
The arrest has also attracted criticism from human rights organisations. Amnesty International condemned the prosecution, arguing that political expression should not be criminalised and calling for the release of the five men.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also called for the immediate release of the five men, questioning how wearing a political message on a shirt could constitute an offence in a democratic society.
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has separately denied ordering the arrest of opposition politicians or people criticising his administration, saying his focus remains on rebuilding the state after years of Boko Haram insurgency.
Saturday’s demonstration has now brought renewed attention to the dispute, with the appearance of dozens of youths wearing the same “Tinubu Must Go” shirts suggesting a broader show of solidarity following the arrests.
The demonstration also comes as political activities intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with opposition parties and political groups increasingly mobilising supporters across the country.
For now, the legal case against the five arrested men remains before the Maiduguri court. Their not-guilty pleas mean that the allegations against them remain unproven unless established through the judicial process.
The outcome of the October 6 bail proceedings and the subsequent substantive hearing on October 26 is expected to determine the next stage of the case, while Saturday’s demonstration has further intensified public debate over political expression, public-order laws and the treatment of dissenting voices in Borno State.
