Amnesty International has rejected the Nigeria Police Force’s claim that five men arrested in Maiduguri, Borno State, while wearing ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-shirts were also found in possession of drugs.

The rights organisation described the drug allegation as an apparent attempt to justify the continued detention of the men, who were arrested after being seen wearing the T-shirts around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri.

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The five suspects were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed. They have since been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

The Borno State Police Command has denied that the arrests were based on the suspects’ political views. Its spokesperson, Kenneth Daso, said the Nigeria Police Force is a professional and non-partisan institution that does not discriminate against people because of their political affiliation or viewpoint.

According to Daso, the suspects were allegedly involved in a plan to print and wear the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace around the West End Roundabout.

The police also alleged that the suspects were found with drugs, adding another element to the case against them.

Amnesty International, however, disputed that account, saying the police had initially accused the men of offences including inciting disturbance, breach of public peace and thuggery before the drug allegation was introduced.

The organisation said the development raised concerns about the treatment of peaceful political expression and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the five men.

Amnesty maintained that expressing a political opinion, whether in support of or opposition to a political party or candidate, should not by itself constitute a criminal offence. It also urged the police and Borno State Government to avoid what it described as arbitrary arrests and detention linked to political expression.

The suspects’ lawyers have applied for bail, with the court expected to deliver its ruling on the application on October 6, 2026. The substantive case has reportedly been adjourned until October 26, 2026.

The police and Amnesty International have therefore presented different accounts of the circumstances surrounding the arrests. While the police maintain that the men were arrested over alleged offences beyond their political expression, Amnesty argues that the arrests amount to an infringement on freedom of expression.