Atiku Demands Release of Five Arrested Over Anti-Tinubu T-Shirts in Borno

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of five individuals arrested in Borno State for wearing apparel bearing the slogan 'Tinubu Must Go.' Through Phrank Shaibu, his campaign's director of strategic communications, Atiku questioned the legal basis for the detentions, arguing that political expression through clothing should not be treated as a criminal matter in a functioning democracy. Atiku's statement directly challenged the legitimacy of the arrests, asking authorities to explain how wearing a garment with a political message could constitute an offence under Nigerian law.

He also demanded clarity on the whereabouts of the detainees and their access to legal representation, indicating broader concerns about the handling of the case by law enforcement. The former Vice President drew a comparison to President Tinubu's own participation in street protests during Goodluck Jonathan's presidency, when Tinubu openly opposed government fuel pricing policies.

Atiku argued that this historical precedent underscored what he described as a contradiction: the current administration had itself exercised the right to public political dissent, yet citizens were now facing detention for similar expression. Atiku further contextualised his position within Nigeria's current economic landscape, referencing widespread hardship affecting citizens' access to fuel, food, transportation and electricity.

The arrests occurred within this backdrop of cost-of-living pressures facing ordinary Nigerians. The Borno State Police Command had arrested the five individuals and subsequently charged them in connection with printing and distributing the T-shirts, according to multiple reports.