By Ahmed Liman Kingimi, Maiduguri
Amnesty International has condemned the arrest and detention of five men by the Borno State Police Command for allegedly wearing T-shirts with the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” in Maiduguri.
The men were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
According to the rights group, the men were arrested around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri and subsequently remanded in prison on allegations of “intent to cause breach of public peace.”
In a statement issued on Monday, Amnesty International described the detention as arbitrary and unlawful, arguing that wearing a T-shirt with a message of political dissent does not constitute a criminal offence.
“Hurriedly remanding them in prison and accusing them bizarrely of intent to cause breach of public peace simply for wearing a T-shirt with a message of political dissent is not a crime. Asserting political opposition is part of human rights,” the organisation said.
The group called on the authorities to immediately release the detainees and drop what it described as bogus charges, stressing that the right to express political opinion is not exclusive to any political party.
Amnesty further accused the Borno State Government and the police of carrying out what it termed repressive arrests and detentions targeting opposition parties and their supporters, warning that using the law to criminalize peaceful dissent undermines freedom of expression.
“The Government of Babagana Umara Zulum must not engage in cracking down on peaceful dissent and unleashing the punitive power of the state on political opponents. The government must uphold and ensure the rights of everyone to freedom of expression and association and respect the rule of law,” the statement added.
As of press time, the Borno State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement on the arrests.
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