A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being “too desperate” to remain in power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The firm made the allegation in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Thursday, amid growing political activities ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections.
It also alleged that the administration was weaponising the police, courts and electoral institutions to suppress opposition and manipulate the 2027 electoral process.
The claim followed controversy over the arrest and prosecution of five men in Maiduguri, Borno State, who were reportedly found wearing or in possession of T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.”
Von Batten-Montague-York said the incident raised concerns about the state of political freedom and democratic rights in Nigeria as the country approaches another election cycle.
The advocacy firm further alleged that Tinubu had personal reasons for seeking to remain in office, including what it described as the protection afforded by head-of-state immunity.
According to the firm, the doctrine could shield a sitting head of state from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while in office.
It went further to allege that Tinubu’s presidential status was the only obstacle to a possible renewed examination of allegations concerning his alleged involvement in heroin trafficking in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.
The allegations contained in the firm’s statement have not been established as facts in the current account, and no fresh criminal indictment against Tinubu arising from the claims has been reported.
The firm nevertheless called on the United States to stand with Nigerians in the defence of democracy, constitutional rights and the rule of law.
The controversy has also centred on the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the five men in Maiduguri.
The Borno State Police Command, however, rejected the impression that the men were arrested and prosecuted simply because they wore T-shirts criticising the President.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the police said the suspects were arrested during a routine township patrol around West End Roundabout in Maiduguri on September 25, 2026.
According to the command, the officers apprehended the five men at about 6pm and allegedly found several items in their possession.
The police listed 15 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 100 tablets suspected to be D5, one shisha pot, one pair of scissors and two T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”
The command said the suspects underwent preliminary investigation, during which statements were obtained from them, before the matter was taken to court.
It said the allegations against the men included inciting disturbance, breach of public peace, thuggery and possession of suspected illicit substances.
The police insisted that the T-shirts were not the sole basis for the prosecution, arguing that the case should be determined through the judicial process.
The command also declared that the Nigeria Police Force remained a professional and non-partisan institution that did not discriminate against citizens on the basis of their political affiliation or viewpoint.
The police said it remained committed to fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency.
Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has denied ordering or authorising the arrest of the five men.
Zulum reportedly expressed shock over reports linking his office to the arrests, stressing that he never directed the police to detain anyone over the wearing of “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts.
The governor’s clarification came as the arrests generated criticism from opposition politicians, civil society groups and human rights advocates.
Earlier reports identified the suspects as Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abbacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed.
They were reportedly arraigned and remanded in custody over allegations connected to criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery.
Amnesty International also condemned what it described as the reported detention of the five men over their alleged political expression.
A statement attributed to the organisation said peaceful political dissent should not constitute a criminal offence and urged authorities to release the men and discontinue what it described as questionable prosecution.
Human rights lawyer Alkali Adamu Askira also condemned the arrests, describing the development as an “ambush on democracy” and a violation of fundamental human rights.
Askira questioned why citizens expressing political views should face arrest while former Boko Haram commanders and other persons accused of serious crimes had, in some circumstances, been subjected to rehabilitation or reintegration processes.
The lawyer called on the Borno State Government to intervene through its Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice if it had no involvement in the arrests.
The Borno State chapter of the African Democratic Congress also condemned the arrests, describing them as unconstitutional and an abuse of government institutions.
The party cited Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, arguing that political criticism is an essential component of democratic participation.
ADC demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the five men, an apology to them and their families, and a commitment from the police leadership to prevent the force from being used for partisan political purposes.
The conflicting accounts have therefore placed the Maiduguri arrests at the centre of a wider debate over the limits of political expression, police powers and the protection of democratic rights ahead of the 2027 elections, with the police maintaining that the case involves allegations beyond the controversial T-shirts.
