Northern Youths Risk Jail Term for Wearing “Tinubu Must Go” Shirt
Five youths in Borno State risk a possible jail term after they were arrested and arraigned in Maiduguri for allegedly printing and wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.”
The case has triggered debate over the limits of political expression in Nigeria, particularly as the slogan has become increasingly visible across social media, where many Nigerians openly post or campaign online with the message “Tinubu Must Go” as a form of political opposition to President Bola Tinubu.
The five men — Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed — were reportedly charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery. The charges were brought under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
According to the police First Information Report, the men allegedly printed the shirts and wore them around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri with the intention of causing a breach of public peace.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
Their lawyers subsequently applied for bail, with the court reportedly fixing October 6 for a ruling on the application, while the substantive case was adjourned to October 26.
What does the law say?
The legal issue goes beyond the words printed on the shirts. Section 39 of Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees every person the right to freedom of expression, including the right to hold opinions and impart ideas and information without interference. Section 40 also protects the right to peaceful assembly and association.
However, those rights are not absolute. Criminal laws can impose restrictions in circumstances recognised by law, particularly where authorities allege conduct capable of causing public disorder or involving another criminal offence.
In the Borno case, therefore, the prosecution is not simply alleging that the five men wore shirts criticising President Tinubu.
The police case, as contained in the FIR, is that their conduct amounted to conspiracy, incitement, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.
Whether the prosecution can establish those allegations is ultimately a matter for the court.
The arrests have nevertheless attracted criticism from rights advocates. Amnesty International described the detention as arbitrary and argued that peacefully expressing political opposition through clothing should not, in itself, constitute a criminal offence.
Sowore demands their release
Reacting to the development, activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore condemned the arrest and detention of the five men, demanding their immediate release.
Sowore argued that political opposition and peaceful expression should not be treated as criminal acts in a democracy. He also alleged that the arrests were engineered by Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum with the assistance of the police, a claim that has not been independently established.
Sowore called for the charges against the five men to be dropped and described their detention as an infringement on their right to express opposition to the government.
The controversy comes as political mobilisation intensifies ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with the phrase “Tinubu Must Go” increasingly appearing in online political conversations, protests and opposition activities.
The Borno case now places a more specific question before the courts: where does lawful political expression end and punishable conduct capable of disturbing public peace begin?
