Five men have been arrested and arraigned in Maiduguri, Borno State, over their alleged involvement in printing and wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.”
The men were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25 around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri.
The police accused the men of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery, alleging that they printed and wore the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
The charges were brought under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The five defendants were subsequently arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their counsel filed an application for bail, with the court adjourning until October 6, 2026, to rule on the application. The substantive trial was scheduled for October 26.
The arrests and prosecution have attracted criticism from Amnesty International, which condemned the detention of the men over the politically critical message on their clothing.
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The rights organisation argued that peacefully expressing political opposition through a message on a T-shirt should not, in itself, constitute a criminal offence.
Amnesty identified the five men in its statement and called for their unconditional release, while urging the authorities to discontinue what it described as a purported prosecution based on questionable charges.
“The right to show and express political opinion is not exclusive to only one political party,” the organisation said.
Amnesty further alleged that authorities in Borno had increasingly targeted opposition parties and their supporters through arrests and detention, and called on the state government to respect freedom of expression and association.
The organisation also urged the government and security agencies to uphold the rule of law and refrain from criminalising peaceful political dissent.
The case has attracted attention as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the “Tinubu Must Go” slogan being used by some groups and individuals critical of the President.
However, the allegations against the five men remain before the court, and their plea of not guilty means the charges have yet to be established.
The court is expected to rule on their bail application on October 6, while substantive proceedings are scheduled to continue later in the month.