‘They Had Drugs On Them’: Police Explain Arrest Of Five Men In ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts
The T-shirts were not the only thing police say they found when five young men were stopped in Maiduguri.
According to the Borno State Police Command, officers conducting a routine patrol discovered suspected illicit substances and other items in the men’s possession before the matter eventually ended up in court.
The arrests have since generated public debate because the suspects were also wearing T-shirts carrying the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
But the police say the clothing was not the sole reason for the arrests.
The five men are Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
They were arrested on September 25, 2026, at about 6pm, around the West-end Roundabout in Maiduguri, according to the police.
The Command said its officers were on a routine township patrol when they encountered the suspects.
Police alleged that the men’s conduct was capable of causing a breach of public peace.
What happened next became the subject of competing narratives.
What police say officers recovered
The Borno Police Command said a search carried out during the operation led to the recovery of several items.
They included 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot, and a pair of scissors.
Officers also recovered two T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go.”
The police later conducted preliminary investigations and obtained statements from the suspects.
The case was subsequently taken to court.
The Command’s spokesman, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, issued the explanation after the arrests triggered criticism and suggestions that the men had been detained because of their political expression.
The police rejected that interpretation.
Daso said the Nigeria Police Force was a professional and non-partisan institution and maintained that people should not be treated differently because of their political affiliation or views.
The Command also said its handling of the matter was guided by due process and that the court should be allowed to determine the case on the evidence presented.
What the court case is about
The First Information Report lists four charges against the five defendants.
They are criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.
The prosecution cited Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code in connection with the offences.
The court proceedings therefore go beyond the simple question of what was printed on the T-shirts.
The prosecution’s case includes allegations concerning the suspects’ conduct and the items police say were recovered from them.
The defendants’ legal team subsequently filed a bail application.
The presiding judge adjourned the matter to October 6, 2026, for a ruling on bail.
The substantive trial was scheduled for October 26, 2026.
But the political message remains at the centre of the controversy
The arrests attracted attention because of the words displayed on the clothing.
Critics argued that the case raised questions about freedom of expression and whether the political message had played a role in the arrests.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International also criticised the detention and questioned the basis for prosecuting the men over the T-shirts, arguing that political opposition expressed peacefully is protected.
The police, however, have maintained that the prosecution is based on the broader allegations surrounding the suspects, including suspected drug possession, thuggery, incitement and disturbance of public peace.
There is therefore an important distinction between the two sides.
The police say the men were not arrested simply because of the words on their shirts. Critics have questioned whether the political message was nevertheless a factor in the case. The court has yet to determine the allegations.
For now, the five men remain defendants in a criminal case rather than convicted offenders.
The next significant date is October 6, when the court is expected to rule on their bail application.
After that, attention will turn to the substantive proceedings scheduled for October 26, where the evidence surrounding the arrests and the charges will be tested in court.
(Source: Daily Trust)
