Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has called for the immediate release of five protesters reportedly detained in Borno State for demonstrating against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Adebayo said the continued detention of the protesters, who reportedly wore T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go," raised concerns about the protection of citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful protest and political expression.
The detainees were identified as Ba’ana Grema, Mustapha Abba, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed. They are reportedly being held in a correctional facility in the state.
In a statement issued by the Movement Adebayo for President, the SDP candidate condemned what he described as an attempt to criminalise dissent and silence opposition voices.
He argued that expressing opposition to government policies through peaceful demonstrations should not be treated as an offence.
Adebayo challenged the Borno State Government, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, the police and the Federal Government to respect the protesters’ fundamental rights. He also said the account provided by his movement contained no evidence that the five men had engaged in violence.
The presidential candidate urged the police to remain politically neutral as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2026/2027 campaign season.
“The Police must protect and defend the rights of citizens to peacefully sell their candidates, and they must refuse to be used against opposition parties and candidates,” he said.
He warned against using law enforcement agencies to intimidate opposition figures and citizens who hold views contrary to those of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Adebayo called on Nigerians, statesmen and other stakeholders to support efforts to secure the detainees’ release, insisting that democracy could not thrive if citizens were punished for peacefully expressing opposing views.
He also reiterated his commitment to building a country free from oppression, poverty and insecurity.
The statement did not provide details of the charges, if any, against the five detainees or include a response from the Borno State Government or the police.
Discussion0