‘Tinubu Must Go’ Group Accuses Kano Police Of Stopping Meeting

Members of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement in Kano State have accused the police of preventing them from accessing a venue where they planned to hold a meeting on Sunday.

Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the conveners of the movement, made the allegation in a live video posted on his verified Facebook page on October 11, 2026, claiming that more than 10 mobile police vehicles had been deployed to the venue.

Some police officers were visible in the background of the video, while Hikima accused them of preventing members of the group from accessing the premises.

The movement describes itself as a non-partisan platform established to enlighten the public and mobilise Nigerians to vote out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

It said its campaign was driven by concerns over the federal government’s economic policies, which it blamed for the hardship faced by Nigerians.

Speaking in the video, Hikima said the gathering was intended to enable members to exercise their fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression.

“Today, the 11th of October 2026, we gathered here in Kano State in order to exercise our fundamental human rights and to associate freely in order to exchange ideas and educate ourselves on the need to send away the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria,” he said.

He alleged that the police deployment was aimed at preventing the group from accessing a private event centre it had paid to use for the meeting.

Hikima disclosed that he had spoken with the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, who, according to him, advised him to notify the police about the planned gathering.

The lawyer said he assured the commissioner that the meeting would be peaceful and conducted within the law.

“We are not criminals, we are not thugs, we are not hooligans and we have not committed any offence. And there is nothing wrong with what we are doing right now. It is within the bounds of the law,” he said.

Hikima argued that the group did not require police permission to hold its meeting, citing Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association, respectively.

He further claimed that some officers had indicated they had no objection to the meeting but were opposed to members wearing clothing bearing the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ inscription.

However, Hikima insisted that the slogan was a form of political expression and said the group would continue to use it.

“The Court of Appeal decision stands. I do not need to inform any security agent to hold my rallies. Next time, we are going to protest; next time we are going to demonstrate; next time we are going to hit the ground,” he added.

Following the incident, members of the movement took to the streets, chanting “Tinubu Must Go” and waving flags bearing the slogan.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to publicly respond to the allegations contained in Hikima’s video.