Atiku seeks release of five persons arrested over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ shirts in Borno

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the immediate release of five men arrested in Borno State for wearing T-shirts with the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go”.

The call followed a report by Amnesty International on Tuesday that operatives of the Borno State Police Command had arrested and detained the men in Maiduguri, the state capital.

The rights organisation condemned the reported arrests and identified the detainees as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.

Tinubu opposed Jonathan’s fuel policy in the streets. Nigerians are living with the consequences of Tinubu’s fuel policy in their homes. Parents are cutting meals. Workers can scarcely afford the journey to work. Families are being crushed by bills that rise faster than their income. And when citizens put their anger on a T-shirt, the response is reportedly an arrest. What kind of democracy grants its President the right to protest, then takes that right away from everyone else?

Atiku maintained that the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go,” was a political demand and not a criminal act.

‘Tinubu Must Go’ is a demand for political change. It is not a weapon, a threat or a crime. President Tinubu can disagree with those words. He can campaign against them. He cannot make people disappear into custody for wearing them.

Atiku called on the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of the five detainees and grant them access to their families and lawyers. He also demanded their release if the political slogan was the basis for their arrest.

Tinubu was free to tell Jonathan that his policies were hurting Nigerians. Nigerians must be free to tell Tinubu that his policies are hurting them. Release these five citizens now.