#TinubuMustGo Protesters: Amnesty Rejects Drug Narrative, Urges Immediate Release Of Suspects
Amnesty International has rejected claims by the Nigerian police that five men arrested in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts were in possession of hard drugs, adding it was an attempt to justify the unlawful detention.
Amnesty International has rejected claims by the Nigerian police that five men arrested in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts were in possession of hard drugs, adding it was an attempt to justify the unlawful detention.
Those being detained include Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
There was nationwide outrage following reports of their arrests, with the state police command insisting that the arrest was lawful and not political.
The police had in a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Nahum Daso Kenneth, on Wednesday, said, “The Command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,”
There was nationwide outrage following reports of their arrests, with the state police command insisting that the arrest was lawful and not political.
The police had in a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Nahum Daso Kenneth, on Wednesday, said, “The Command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,”
adding that the protesters conspired among themselves to print and wear T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” with the intention of causing a breach of public peace around the West End Roundabout area of the city.
Kenneth further defended the arrests, saying the suspects committed offences beyond wearing TinubuMustGo T- shirts.
However, in a statement, Amnesty dismissed the drug allegation, accusing the police of introducing a new narrative in an attempt to justify the continued illegal detention of the suspects.
It then demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the five men — insisting that expressing a dissenting political opinion does not amount to committing a criminal offence.
Amnesty stressed that the Borno State Police Command must end what it described as “bizarre and desperate attempts” to justify the arrests, adding that linking the five men to drugs and other crimes was a “familiar playbook” aimed at justifying political repression and undermining democratic freedoms.
“Earlier, police accused the five men of alleged inciting disturbance, breach of public peace, and thuggery, and now linking them to drugs manifests a desperate attempt to punish them for their peaceful political activities,” Amnesty said, arguing that, in the absence of a known criminal offence arising from the men’s political expression, the new drug allegation appeared to be an additional attempt to build a case against them.
Amnesty maintained that citizens in Borno State and other Nigerias have the right to support or oppose political parties and candidates without fear of arrest or reprisal, noting that freedom of political expression was not constitutionally reserved for supporters of any particular political party.
“The five men must be released immediately and unconditionally. Holding and expressing dissenting political opinion is not a crime,” the Amnesty said and urged both the police
and the Borno State Government to end what it described as arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition members and supporters.
It warned that continued arrests over peaceful political expression could further restrict civic space and freedom of expression in the state.
The suspects were reportedly arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty, following which their lawyers subsequently applied for bail, with the court expected to rule on the application on October 6, while the substantive case was adjourned to October 26.
Kenneth further defended the arrests, saying the suspects committed offences beyond wearing TinubuMustGo T- shirts.
However, in a statement, Amnesty dismissed the drug allegation, accusing the police of introducing a new narrative in an attempt to justify the continued illegal detention of the suspects.
It then demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the five men — insisting that expressing a dissenting political opinion does not amount to committing a criminal offence.
Amnesty stressed that the Borno State Police Command must end what it described as “bizarre and desperate attempts” to justify the arrests, adding that linking the five men to drugs and other crimes was a “familiar playbook” aimed at justifying political repression and undermining democratic freedoms.
“Earlier, police accused the five men of alleged inciting disturbance, breach of public peace, and thuggery, and now linking them to drugs manifests a desperate attempt to punish them for their peaceful political activities,” Amnesty said, arguing that, in the absence of a known criminal offence arising from the men’s political expression, the new drug allegation appeared to be an additional attempt to build a case against them.
Amnesty maintained that citizens in Borno State and other Nigerias have the right to support or oppose political parties and candidates without fear of arrest or reprisal, noting that freedom of political expression was not constitutionally reserved for supporters of any particular political party.
“The five men must be released immediately and unconditionally. Holding and expressing dissenting political opinion is not a crime,” the Amnesty said and urged both the police
and the Borno State Government to end what it described as arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition members and supporters.
It warned that continued arrests over peaceful political expression could further restrict civic space and freedom of expression in the state.
The suspects were reportedly arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty, following which their lawyers subsequently applied for bail, with the court expected to rule on the application on October 6, while the substantive case was adjourned to October 26.
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