The Borno State Police Command has said five men arrested in Maiduguri were prosecuted over allegations involving public disturbance, thuggery and suspected drug possession, disputing claims that their arrest was solely because they wore T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
The clarification followed public controversy over the arrests, which occurred on September 25, 2026, during a police patrol in Maiduguri.
According to the police account supplied in the report, officers conducting a routine township patrol near West End Roundabout at about 6 p.m. arrested the men after allegedly finding them with suspected Indian hemp, tablets and other items, alongside two T-shirts bearing the political inscription.
Police Detail Items Allegedly Recovered
The command listed the following items as having been recovered from the suspects:
- 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
- 100 tablets suspected to be D5.
- One shisha pot.
- One pair of scissors.
- Two T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
The police said the case involved allegations beyond the possession of clothing carrying a political message.
The allegations concerning the suspected substances and other items have not, by themselves, established the guilt of the defendants.
Political Expression and Law Enforcement
The case has drawn attention because the T-shirts carried a message critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The dispute raises questions about the circumstances of the arrests, the evidence supporting the charges and the distinction between peaceful political expression and any separately alleged criminal conduct.
The police account should be considered alongside the charges filed in court and the defendants’ responses. Neither the presence of political slogans nor the police allegations alone resolve every issue in the case.
A full assessment would require examination of the charge sheet, evidence presented by the prosecution and any findings made by the court.
Case Remains Subject to Legal Process
The controversy highlights the importance of transparent police procedures and fair judicial consideration where cases involve both political expression and allegations of other offences.
The police have maintained that the arrests involved allegations beyond the wearing of the T-shirts.
The defendants’ guilt or innocence remains a matter for the judicial process, and allegations of criminal conduct should not be treated as established facts before determination by a competent court.