Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of five men arrested and charged in Maiduguri, Borno State, over T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.” The men were reportedly arrested after allegedly printing and wearing the shirts around the West End Roundabout area.
The five suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under the Borno State Penal Code. They pleaded not guilty, with the court reportedly adjourning the bail application to October 6, while the substantive case is scheduled for October 26.
Atiku, through his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, questioned whether wearing a political slogan should lead to detention in a democracy. He urged authorities to disclose the men’s whereabouts, allow access to their families and lawyers, and release them if the slogan was the basis for their arrest.
