ADC demands clarity from Zulum over alleged arrest order

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has called on Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to explain a viral video in which he allegedly orders the arrest and detention of people expressing the slogan “Tinubu Must Go”. The demand was made in a statement signed on Sunday by Phrank Shaibu, the council’s director of strategic communications. Shaibu said the video raised questions about whether peaceful critics of President Bola Tinubu could be detained solely for expressing their political views.

The council said the reported directive appeared to conflict with Zulum’s recent denial that he had ordered the arrest of people wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts in Borno. It asked the governor to clarify the content of the new footage and reconcile it with his earlier position. According to the council, peaceful political expression is protected by democratic principles.

It argued that a slogan, a T-shirt or a call for a president to leave office did not, by itself, amount to a criminal offence. Shaibu said authorities should not use allegations of unrelated offences as a pretext to suppress dissent. If there was credible evidence of a separate crime, he said, it should be presented in court and handled through due process.

The campaign council urged Zulum to withdraw any directive aimed at peaceful protesters and publicly guarantee that nobody would be arrested solely for opposing Tinubu. It said political disagreements should be addressed through democratic engagement rather than threats of detention. The controversy has emerged amid increased political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Opposition groups are using rallies, slogans and social media campaigns to criticise the Tinubu administration and mobilise supporters. The council said the dispute placed renewed attention on how state authorities and security agencies would respond to opposition activity in Borno.