A Magistrate’s Court in Maiduguri has granted bail to five people arrested last month for wearing T-shirts bearing a “#TinubuMustGo” inscription.
The police apprehended the suspects in the State capital on September 25, which made critics accuse security agencies of clamping down on political dissent and free speech.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command claimed officers caught the suspects with illicit substances, including 15 wraps of Indian hemp, 100 D5 tablets, a shisha pot, and scissors, alongside two of the disputed shirts.
The case also dragged Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum into the debate over rumors linking him to the arrest. However, the governor’s media adviser, Dauda Iliya, dismissed the claims, stating that Zulum’s recent statement focused strictly on public safety, not targeting protest groups.
Confirming their release, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Garki branch chairman, Barrister Alkali Askira, defended the youths’ right to free expression but warned young people to avoid actions that could land them in legal trouble.
Meanwhile, relatives of the defendants expressed relief and thanked the legal team for securing their bail.
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