Fresh allegations have emerged in the case of five men arrested in Maiduguri over “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts, as police say suspected drugs were found in their possession.
The Borno State Police Command said the men were arrested on September 25 during a routine patrol around the West End Roundabout.
Police spokesperson Nahum Daso said officers recovered 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, a shisha pot and a pair of scissors.
The suspects – Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed – were subsequently charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.
The police said two T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” were also recovered and that statements were obtained from the suspects before the case was taken to court.
The arrests have drawn criticism from Amnesty International, which said wearing a T-shirt expressing political opposition does not constitute a crime and called for the suspects’ release.
The police, however, maintained that the Nigeria Police Force is non-partisan and said the court should determine the case based on the evidence presented.
