Amnesty International Condemns Arrest of Five Men Over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts in Borno
Amnesty International has condemned the arrest and detention of five men by the Borno State Police Command for allegedly wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” in Maiduguri, the state capital.
In a statement, the human rights organisation described the arrests as arbitrary and a violation of the detainees’ fundamental rights to freedom of expression and political association.
The five men were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
According to Amnesty International, the men were remanded in prison over allegations that they intended to cause a breach of public peace within the West End Roundabout community in Maiduguri.
The organisation rejected the allegations, insisting that wearing T-shirts bearing messages of political dissent does not constitute a criminal offence
Amnesty International demanded the immediate release of the five men and the withdrawal of any charges against them, describing their prosecution as an attempt to criminalise peaceful political opposition.
The organisation also accused the Borno State Government and the police of increasingly targeting opposition political parties and their supporters through arrests and detention.
It alleged that authorities in the state were using legal processes to suppress dissent and discourage citizens from expressing political opinions.
Amnesty International called on Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration to respect the rights of political opponents and ensure that security agencies uphold the rule of law.
It maintained that freedom of expression and association must be guaranteed to all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations.
The allegations come amid wider concerns raised by Amnesty International about restrictions on peaceful dissent and the treatment of government critics in Nigeria.
The Borno State Government and the police have yet to provide their responses to the specific allegations in the statement.
