The Borno State Police Command has said five men arrested in Maiduguri after they were found wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” were prosecuted over allegations including possession of suspected illicit drugs, thuggery and disturbance of public peace.
The command said the men were not arrested or prosecuted solely because of the inscriptions on the T-shirts, clarifying that other items allegedly recovered from them formed part of the case before the court.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the police said the five suspects were arrested during a routine patrol around the West End Roundabout in Maiduguri on September 25, 2026, at about 6pm.
According to the statement, the suspects were found with 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 inscription “Tinubu Must Go”.
The command said the suspects were subjected to preliminary investigation, during which statements were obtained from them, before the case was taken to court.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,” the statement said.
“The Command remains committed to the protection of fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency in the discharge of its responsibilities.”
The police said taking the case before a competent court was intended to allow the judicial process to determine the matter based on the evidence presented.
The clarification followed controversy over the arrest of the men, identified in earlier reports as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
They were earlier reported to have been charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under relevant provisions of the Borno State Penal Code.
The suspects were arraigned and remanded in custody.
The arrests have drawn criticism from civil society organisations and opposition figures, with Amnesty International describing the action as arbitrary and calling for the men’s release.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the arrests and called for their release.
The police urged members of the public to rely on verified information and allow the court to determine the case.
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