Amnesty International has strongly rejected the Nigerian Police Force’s claim that five men arrested in Maiduguri for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts were also in possession of drugs, calling the explanation an attempt to justify what it termed “unlawful detention.”
Following nationwide outrage over the arrests, the Borno State Police Command denied that the detentions were politically motivated. Police Public Relations Officer Nahum Daso Kenneth stated, “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.”
While the police initially alleged the men conspired to cause a breach of public peace around the West End Roundabout, they subsequently defended the arrests by claiming the suspects were also carrying drugs.
Dismissing the drug allegations, Amnesty accused the police of introducing a new narrative to justify political repression.
The rights organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the five detainees—Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio, and Abdulhamid Mohammed—insisting that “holding and expressing dissenting political opinion is not a crime.”
Amnesty stated that linking the men to drugs is a “familiar playbook” aimed at punishing peaceful political expression and undermining democratic freedoms.
“The five men must be released immediately and unconditionally,” the organisation added.
The defendants have since been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers have applied for bail, with a ruling expected on October 6, and the substantive case adjourned to October 26, 2026.
