The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said five Nigerians arrested in Borno State over their alleged involvement in the “Tinubu Must Go” campaign have been granted bail by a court.
The ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufai, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, describing the development as a relief following sustained pressure over the arrest and prosecution of the men.
The five men were arrested in Maiduguri on September 25 after they were allegedly found wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
They were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
Following their arrest, the Borno State Police Command charged them with alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The police said the suspects were arrested during a routine patrol around the West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
According to the command, officers recovered 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot, scissors and two T-shirts bearing the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription.
The police have maintained that the arrests were not based solely on the political message displayed on the T-shirts. The command said the suspects were apprehended over alleged conduct capable of causing public disturbance and that they were subsequently brought before a competent court.
However, the ADC and other critics have disputed the circumstances surrounding the arrests, arguing that the men were targeted because of their opposition to President Bola Tinubu.
Announcing the bail granted to the suspects, Rufai said the ADC considered their release an important development in the case.
“Following our sustained outcry, all five patriotic Nigerians unjustly arrested in Borno State for peacefully wearing #TinubuMustGo T-shirts have finally been granted bail by the court,” he said.
Rufai also commended the lawyers representing the defendants, saying they had remained committed to ensuring justice for the accused men.
“We deeply appreciate our dedicated defence lawyers who stood firmly for justice and proved once again that expressing a political opinion is not a crime under any law,” he said.
The ADC youth leader, however, criticised the Borno State Police Command over its handling of the case. He questioned what he described as the priority given to the arrest of the youths in a state still facing serious security challenges.
Rufai alleged that the police had demonstrated excessive urgency in dealing with the suspects while communities in the state continued to face threats from Boko Haram insurgents.
He also criticised the circumstances under which police officers were deployed to enforce the arrests, arguing that rank-and-file officers were themselves victims of broader governance and economic challenges.
The ADC called on the Borno State Government and security agencies to discontinue the case against the five men.
Rufai described the charges as “fabricated” and said the granting of bail should only be regarded as an initial step towards resolving the matter.
“Let this serve as an absolute warning to the Borno State Government and their security proxies: granting bail is only a minor step, and we demand the complete dropping of all fabricated charges,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the arrests has attracted criticism from opposition politicians, activists and civil society groups.
On October 1, lawyer and rights activist Hamza N. Dantani petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, over the arrest, detention and prosecution of the five men.
Dantani questioned what he described as possible selective enforcement by the Borno State Police Command, particularly in relation to comments allegedly made by Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sayyina Buba, at a public gathering.
The activist noted that Buba had reportedly apologised over the remarks but questioned why the commissioner had allegedly not been invited or investigated in the same manner as the five men.
The Borno State Police Command has rejected allegations that the arrests were politically motivated.
The command described the Nigeria Police Force as a professional and non-partisan institution, insisting that it does not discriminate against citizens based on their political affiliation or views.
According to the police, the suspects were charged before a competent court to allow the judicial process to determine the allegations against them.
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has also denied ordering the arrests. The governor said he neither authorised nor directed the arrest of opposition politicians or individuals criticising his administration.
The controversy also triggered a renewed public display of the “Tinubu Must Go” slogan in Maiduguri.
On October 3, dozens of youths reportedly took to the streets wearing white T-shirts bearing the inscription and marched through parts of the city.
The demonstration was seen as an expression of solidarity with the arrested men and opposition to the Tinubu administration ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, the circumstances surrounding the demonstration, including whether it received formal approval from security authorities, could not immediately be independently established.
Despite the granting of bail, the case remains a subject of political and legal controversy.
While the police maintain that the men were arrested over alleged conduct capable of disturbing public peace and not simply because of the message on their clothing, the ADC insists that the prosecution amounts to an attempt to suppress legitimate political expression.
Rufai said the ADC would continue its campaign against President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Make no mistake, we will continue to fearlessly advocate for #TinubuMustGo across every corner of this nation,” he said.
He added that the party would resist what it described as attempts to intimidate or silence citizens exercising their political rights.
With the five suspects now out on bail, the ADC has renewed its demand for the criminal charges to be withdrawn completely.
