‘Tinubu Must Go’: Police Reveal What They Recovered From Five Arrested Youths

The Borno State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has explained why five youths wearing T-shirts with the inscription ‘Tinubu Must Go’ were arrested and charged to court.

The police said the suspects were not arrested because of the message on their T-shirts but over alleged thuggery, inciting public disturbance, and possession of suspected illicit drugs.

Naija News reports that the Command’s spokesperson, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, gave the explanation on Wednesday while reacting to criticism over the arrests.

The arrest had sparked reactions on social and conventional media, with critics accusing the police of clamping down on freedom of expression.

However, Daso said the police action was based on what officers allegedly found at the scene and the conduct of the suspects.

According to him, the five men, Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed, were arrested on September 25, 2026.

He said they were apprehended at about 6pm during a routine township patrol around the West-end Roundabout in Maiduguri.

Daso said the officers intervened after the suspects allegedly engaged in conduct considered capable of causing a breach of public peace.

The police spokesperson said officers recovered 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, one shisha pot and a pair of scissors.

Two T-shirts carrying the ‘Tinubu Must Go‘ inscription were also recovered, according to the police.

Daso said preliminary investigations were conducted after the arrest, while statements were obtained from the suspects before they were 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,” he said.

He added that the command remained committed to protecting fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency.

The police said taking the matter before the court was necessary to allow the judicial process to determine the outcome.

It also urged members of the public to rely on verified information instead of unconfirmed accounts of the incident.

According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), the five suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.

The police said the alleged offences contravened Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.

Following their arraignment, their lawyers applied for bail.

The presiding judge adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to rule on the bail application.

The substantive case has also been fixed for October 26, 2026.

With the matter now before the court, the conflicting claims surrounding the arrests are expected to be considered through the judicial process.