The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has explained why officers were deployed to block the venue of the 'Tinubu Must Go' (TMG) movement's planned meeting on Sunday, October 11, 2026, citing safety concerns and a recent weapons seizure in Sabon Gari.
Police Defend Deployment at TMG Meeting Venue
Members of the 'Tinubu Must Go' movement gathered in Kano on Sunday only to find police blocking access to their paid venue. TMG convener Abba Hikima alleged that about 10 mobile police vehicles were stationed to stop members from entering the private venue they had paid for.
In an interview with DCL Hausa, as reported by Daily Trust, Bakori acknowledged that the TMG members had every right to organise their gathering under Nigerian law. However, he said the scale of the planned event, which was expected to draw around 700 people, made it necessary for the Command to know what was being organised and to put security arrangements in place.
CP Bakori Cites Recent Sabon Gari Weapons Incident
Bakori also pointed to a recent incident in Sabon Gari, where police arrested individuals who had come to Kano claiming to attend a political event, only for weapons to be recovered from them, as part of the reason the Command was on alert.
“We saw on social media that they were coming, and we recalled what happened two weeks ago in Sabon Gari. Even though you have the right to do something, your right ends where another person's right begins,” Bakori added.
CP Says He Tried to Contact TMG Convener
Bakori said he had personally called Hikima the night before after seeing posts about the planned meeting on social media, and asked him to notify the Command so that adequate security could be provided. According to Bakori, Hikima said he would consult others and call back, but subsequent calls went unanswered.
“If 700 people are coming into Kano, we need to know the details. This is not the first time political groups from different parties have organised activities in the state. They usually write to us, and we provide security for them,” Bakori said.
Police Dismiss Political Motivation Claims
The Commissioner dismissed any suggestion that the deployment was politically motivated, insisting the Command had previously provided security for the TMG group and other political organisations on multiple occasions without incident. “There is nothing political about this. It is about understanding the situation and protecting the people of Kano State and Nigeria,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demanded the release of five Nigerians reportedly held in Borno State over T-shirts bearing a political slogan. Atiku's statement, issued through his ADC Presidential Campaign Council, challenged the legal basis for detaining citizens over a phrase on clothing, drawing a direct parallel between Tinubu's past protests against Jonathan's fuel policy and the current arrests.
