Members of the 'Tinubu Must Go' (TMG) movement were prevented from entering a privately hired event centre in Kano State on Sunday, October 11, 2026, after mobile police units surrounded the venue ahead of a planned meeting. The blockade was confirmed by Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the movement's conveners, in a live video broadcast on his verified Facebook page.
Police Deployment and Blockade
Hikima reported that approximately 10 mobile police vehicles were stationed outside the event centre to stop members from entering. In the video, several policemen were visible in the background. Hikima, wearing a shirt and fez cap bearing the inscription 'Tinubu Must Go', told viewers: "Today, the 11th of October 2026, we gathered here in Kano State to exercise our fundamental human rights and to associate freely to exchange ideas and educate ourselves on the need to send away the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria."
The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, had called Hikima the previous day, saying the group should have notified security agencies of the gathering. Hikima responded that the meeting would be held in an enclosed space and would remain peaceful, given that those involved were legal professionals.
Constitutional Arguments
Hikima argued that Nigerian law no longer requires groups to obtain police permission before assembling, citing sections 35, 39, and 40 of the Constitution, which protect personal liberty, freedom of expression, and freedom of association respectively. "The provision of the law is clear that you no longer need police permission to have any gathering. The way you do it in your weddings is the way we have the right to gather here in this event centre and hold this programme," he said.
He also disclosed that one officer told him the police had no objection to the group itself, only to the insignia its members were wearing. Hikima rejected that condition outright, stating: "It is our right to do this. It is not insulting. It is not oppressive. It is nothing. It is entirely political." He vowed that the movement would return to hold protests and demonstrations, and his remarks were met with chants of 'Tinubu Must Go' from those present.
Movement's Stated Goals
The TMG movement describes itself as a non-partisan platform focused on public enlightenment, with the stated goal of mobilising Nigerians to vote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu out of office at the 2027 general elections. The group has linked its campaign to the administration's economic policies, which it says have caused widespread hardship.
The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, did not answer calls and did not reply to text or WhatsApp messages sent to him. The blockade has raised tensions in Kano, with the movement vowing to continue its activities despite the police action.
