Five men have been arraigned in a Maiduguri court over T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go,” after police accused them of attempting to cause a breach of public peace. The defendants, aged 21 to 44, pleaded not guilty, and the court has fixed October 6, 2026, for a ruling on their bail application.
Arrest and Charges in Maiduguri
The men — Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21 — were arrested over the politically charged T-shirts. According to a First Information Report (FIR) issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Maiduguri, the incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. on September 25, 2026, around the West End Roundabout community.
Police charged the five men with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace, and thuggery, under Sections 60, 78, 79, and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code. The FIR alleges that the men conspired to print the shirts and wear them in the area with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
Court Proceedings and Bail Application
The case was brought before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, where all five defendants pleaded not guilty, according to reports verified through court officials. Their lawyers subsequently applied for bail. The court has scheduled October 6, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application, while the substantive case is set for October 26.
The arrests have drawn criticism from Amnesty International, which stated that political dissent expressed through clothing should not, by itself, amount to a criminal offence. The rights organisation called for the men's release and for the charges to be dropped, accusing Borno authorities of using criminal law against political opposition. This characterisation represents Amnesty's position, not a court finding.
Allegations and Political Context
An unverified claim has also emerged regarding the arrests. A source cited by SaharaReporters alleged that Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum directed the state Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, to arrest the men over the shirts. That allegation has not been independently established, and the police FIR does not cite such a directive as the basis for the charges.
The case unfolds as political activity intensifies ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections. The “Tinubu Must Go” slogan has previously appeared at anti-government protests, including demonstrations where protesters carried placards with the same message.
For now, the central question before the court is not simply what was written on the shirts, but whether the prosecution can establish that the defendants' actions constituted the offences with which they have been charged. The Borno State Police Command has not issued a public statement on the case. TheCable reported that its spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, did not respond to calls, SMS messages, or WhatsApp messages seeking comment. The five men remain defendants, and the allegations against them have yet to be determined by the court.
