CSOs Protest Arrest, Remand Of 5 Men Wearing ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts

Network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Borno State and human rights activists have condemned the arrest and remand of five men for wearing T-shirts with the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”.

They said the action criminalises peaceful expression and freedom of speech.

The executive director Network of Civil Society Organisations, Borno State (NECSOB), Abubakar Abdullahi Suleiman, in an interview with LEADERSHIP yesterday in Maiduguri, argued that wearing a political slogan on a T-shirt does not constitute a criminal offence under Nigerian law.

He said the 1999 Constitution under section 39 (as amended) guarantees the citizens the right to hold opinions and express them freely without fear of intimidation or arrest.

A human rights lawyer, Alkali Adamu Askira, equally condemned the arrest and detention of the five men for wearing T-shirts with anti-Tinubu inscription in Maiduguri.

Askira described the action of the police as an ambush on democracy and a gross violation of fundamental human rights.

In his Facebook post obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday, Askira who is a Borno indegene based in Abuja, wondered how former Boko Haram commanders and terrorists who had raped , murdered innocent citizens and destroyed lives and property could be pardoned, while citizens expressing their political choice or will would be arrested, taken to court and detained in prison.

The legal practitioner called on Borno State government to use its Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, if it doesn’t have hand in the arrest and make sure that the arrested men are released.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Borno Police command reportedly arrested the five men at the West End area of Maiduguri for Wearing ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts, charged them to court and were remanded in prison.

According to the police document, the five men allegedly conspired to print T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go” with the intention of causing a breach of public peace within the West End Roundabout community.

The five men were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.

Speaking further, the human rights lawyer declared that he has abandoned his ” One Time President” ( OTP ) movement to join the ” Tinubu Must Go ” movement to see who can arrest him as was done to the five men.

He described the arrest of the five men as a shame and ambush to democracy, adding that the incident portray a regime similar to that of Pharaoh of Egypt.

” I’m just entering my office after spending the whole day in court and being offline for over five hours, when I opened my WhatsApp messenger, I saw a lot of messages from concerned Borno indigenes.

” Because a person wears ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T- Shirt or expressing his political view, force would be used on the person. It is a thing of shame. It is an ambush to democracy.

” This is a State that Boko Haram Commanders and terrorists who had raped, murdered people and destroyed lives and property are pardoned, while innocent citizens expressing their political view are forcefully arrested, sent to court and detained in prison.

” These set of people are pardoned, but the ones who stood up and said that ‘Tinubu Must Go’ , government and the police connived and arrested them, charged them to court and detained them in prison. It is indeed a shame to all of you.

“I hereby declare today, I have dropped my movement, ‘One Time President’ ( OTP ) , I have fully joined ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement. We will wear the T Shirt, if anyone can arrest us , let him do it. It is really shameful. It is as we are in Pharaoh’s regime.

” Children of the poor are packed and taken to prison. It is indeed a sad day for democracy. I call on Borno State Governor to use his Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, if he doesn’t have hand in the arrest to ensure that the five detained men are out of prison,” Askira said.

Suleiman of the CSOs further described the arrest of the five men for wearing the “Tinubu Must Go ” T-shirts as unfortunate, adding that wearing of T-shirts with political inscription however critical it may be fall within the ambit of the law which is peaceful expression of one’s view or opinion.

He noted that in a democratic setting, wearing of such T-shirt is not an offence if the act did not breach public order or constitute a threat under any law.

” We therefore call for a due process in addressing the matter and respect for the fundamental human rights of all citizens. We call on security agencies to restrain, any grievance should be addressed through lawful and constituted means not criminalisation of peaceful expression like this.

“We will continue to advocate for the protection of our democracy and constructive engagement between the citizens and the State,” the executive director said.