Arrest and trials of five youths wearing Tinubu-Must-Go T-shirt and abuse of right to expression

By Hadiza Mohammed

On September 25, five young men namely: Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adamu Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed were arrested in Borno by the Borno State Police Command for printing and wearing T-shirts with the inscription: Tinubu Must Go. They were later arraigned in a Chief Magistrate Court on charges of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under the Borno State Penal Code.

The arrest has attracted widespread condemnation from Nigerians, members of the opposition and the civil society groups. One of the key opposition figures Atiku Abubakar (GCON), the former vice-president of the country and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the forthcoming election has condemned the arrests, demanded the unconditional dropping of all charges stating that peaceful political opposition should not be criminalized.

The Amnesty International in a press statement condemned the arbitrary arrest, detention and trial of the arrested youths, describing the detention as an act of selective injustice aimed at curtailing opposition. It also asked the police to drop what it termed “sham trial based on bogus charges.” One commentator has asked, “If wearing a T-shirt that says “Tinubu Must Go” is considered a crime, then we need to ask ourselves: where does freedom of expression and the right to hold political opinions stand? And another commentator declares thus: “Nigeria belongs to all of us. Government has the responsibility to govern, while citizens have the right to speak, criticize, and express their opinions peacefully. Democracy becomes stronger when citizens can question those in power.”

And to defend the allegation of human right abuse, the Borno State Police Command responded through the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso. Among other things, the police 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…The Command remains committed to the protection of fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency in the discharge of its responsibilities.”

But, despite the feeble attempt by the police to explain away the unlawful arrest, the public believes that the arrest was politically motivated. This because the Tinubu’s APC has proved to be not just the worst exclusionist government but the most intolerant and oppressive in the nation’s political history. During the Jonathan era, Tinubu and his people did worse than “Jonathan must go”. But no one was harassed or arrested. Right now and everywhere in the country, the APC thugs are in overdrive intimidating and harassing members of the opposition but the police chose to ignore that. Even the action and decisions of the APC governors are heating up the polity and the so-called active, professional and non-partisan police force chose to ignore all of that only to swoop on some helpless youth frustrated by the inhuman policies of the Apartheid APC regime.

I have to make it clear here that the arrest of the youth wearing Tinubu-Must-Go shirt is unlawful for they were exercising their fundamental human right to freedom of expression. Their action does not in any way constitute a threat to public peace. The only things that constitute threat to peace in the country now are the nefarious policies of the government that have created poverty, penury and pain in the land. Tinubu’s anti-people policies have created youth unemployment, suffering and youth restiveness and increase in crime and social vices.

The pertinent question here now is: if the arrested youths were wearing T-shirt with the inscription: “Atiku Must Go” or “Obi Must Go”, would they have been arrested? Or if what was inscribed on the T-shirt is: “Tinubu Is Our Man”, would they have been arrested? The answers are the same: no. But the actions are the same: expression of opinion. So, arresting people for wearing T-shirt bearing Tinubu Must Go is akin to criminalizing freedom of expression as the Wazirin Adamawa has noted.

Tinubu and his team should channel their energy and our common wealth to governance and improving the wellbeing of the masses rather hunting members of the opposition and suppressing freedom of expression and advocacy. Tinubu would prefer to waste public funds on propaganda, false narratives and suppression of dissenting views than investing in public goods. If Tinubu spends 10% of the funds he wastes fighting the opposition and suppressing civil advocacy on infrastructure and social welfare, there may no need for anyone to wear Tinubu-Must-Go shirt.

And, it is appalling to me that despite the monstrous problem of insecurity in the country now especially in the North East where Borno is situated that all that could attract the Borno State Police Command is five harmless youths expressing their displeasure with the bastardized system that we are all enmeshed in now. Insurgency, armed banditry, kidnap for ransom and other more severe and violent crimes are being perpetrated every day in Borno. Politicians and their acolytes are looting public treasury, using their thugs to cause mayhem with police looking the other way only to wake up when they saw: Tinubu Must Go! It is indeed a shame!

Indeed, Tinubu must go! Nigerians should not just say it. We must print more Tinubu-Must-Go shirts, inscribe it everywhere and in our hearts. And then practicalize it with our votes on January 16, 2027. We will not just vote; we must defend our votes by ensuring that our votes count. We must ignore their intimidation and inducements and vote-buying antics and vote right. And together we would reclaim our country and collectively build the Nigeria of our dream. Long live Nigeria!

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed can be reached at hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com