BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Amnesty International has fiercely rejected claims by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) that five activists arrested in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, for wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts were carrying drugs, labeling the accusation a desperate cover-up for unlawful detention.
Blasting the Force for cooking up fake drug charges to cover up the unlawful arrest, the rights organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the five men, Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Amnesty dismissed the drug allegation, insisting that expressing a dissenting political opinion is not a criminal offence, and cautioned the Police against introducing the fresh narrative in an attempt to justify their action in the face of public outcry.
The global rights watchdog warned that speaking out against the government or showing political dissent is a fundamental right, not a crime and urged the Borno State Police Command to end what it described as “bizarre and desperate attempts” to justify the current detention.
It stated that linking the five men to drugs and other crimes was a “familiar playbook” aimed at justifying political repression and undermining democratic freedoms.
According to the statement: “Earlier, police accused the five men for alleged inciting disturbance, breach of public peace, and thuggery, and now linking them to drugs manifests a desperate attempt to punish them for their peaceful political activities.”
Amnesty argued that, in the absence of a recognisable criminal offence arising from the men’s political expression, the new drug allegation appeared to be an additional attempt to build a case against them, maintaining that citizens in Borno State and across Nigeria have the right to support or oppose political parties and candidates without fear of arrest or reprisal.
Noting that freedom of political expression was not constitutionally reserved for supporters of any particular political party, the organisation said, “The five men must be released immediately and unconditionally. Holding and expressing dissenting political opinion is not a crime.”
Furthermore, Amnesty demanded that the Nigeria Police and the Borno State Government must end what it described as arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition members and supporters, warning that continued arrests over peaceful political expression could further restrict civic space and freedom of expression in the state.
Forefront News noted that following the nationwide outrage which trailed their arrests, the Borno State Police Command denied the motive of arrest was political, claiming in a statement on Wednesday that the detainees had drugs on them
The Police Command Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Nahum Daso Kenneth said, “The Command wishes to categorically state that the Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint.”
ASP Kenneth stated that the suspects were apprehended during a routine township patrol around the West End Roundabout in Maiduguri for criminal conduct, thuggery, and narcotics possession, even as the Command them of actively engaging in behavior capable of causing a major breach of public peace and inciting public disturbance.
The Police First Information Report (FIR) indicated that the items officially recovered from the suspects include: 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp; 100 tablets suspected to be D5; One shisha pot and a pair of scissors; and Two T-shirts bearing the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription.
The police emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force remains a professional, non-partisan institution. They maintained that the suspects were charged under Sections 60, 78, 79, and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code strictly due to their alleged criminal acts and possession of illicit substances, not for expressing political dissent.
Meanwhile, with Amnesty International alleging the Police are telling a blatant lie to justify a wrongful detention, reports have emerged that the men were arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Maiduguri, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
Sources confirmed that the detainees’ counsels have already applied for bail, with the Court expected to rule on the application on October 6, while the substantive case was adjourned to October 26.
The police allegations and Amnesty’s characterisation of the arrests remain contested, with the police maintaining that the suspects committed offences beyond merely wearing the T-shirts.
