Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has denied ordering the arrest or detention of people protesting with the slogan “Tinubu Must Go”, saying his comments were directed at criminals and individuals whose activities threaten peace and stability in the state.
The governor’s clarification followed a statement by the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, which called on him to explain a viral video in which he was alleged to have directed security personnel to arrest anyone found expressing the “Tinubu Must Go” slogan.
The ADC campaign council said the reported directive was particularly concerning because Zulum had previously denied ordering the arrest of people wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts in Borno State.
In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the council asked the governor to clarify the contents of the video and explain how they were consistent with his earlier denial.
Responding to the allegations, Zulum’s spokesman, Dauda Iliya, described the ADC’s statement as unprofessional and accused the campaign council of misrepresenting the governor’s comments.
Iliya said the ADC had relied on what he described as an “unprofessionally written news report” to accuse the governor of threatening opposition politicians with arrest.
According to the spokesman, Zulum’s comments were made during a media interaction with journalists in Maiduguri, where the governor addressed several issues concerning the state, including an increase in social vices and criminal activities capable of undermining peace and security.
He explained that the governor was referring to criminals and young people involved in activities that could lead to violence, rather than political protesters or opposition groups.
Iliya said Zulum had specifically referred to young men moving around with shirts displaying images of knives and clubs, which he said were symbolic of violence.
The spokesman noted that Borno had experienced an increase in certain social vices following more than a decade of Boko Haram insurgency. These, he said, included gangsterism, the kidnapping of underage girls, illegal abortions, phone snatching and other forms of criminal activity.
To tackle the problem, Iliya said the Borno State Government established an Anti-Vices security outfit to address criminal and social activities threatening residents.
He claimed that since the outfit began its operations, Maiduguri and surrounding areas had recorded a reduction in social vices and criminal activities, resulting in improved security in the affected communities.
The governor’s spokesman also accused some media organisations of taking a section of Zulum’s comments out of context and presenting it in a way that suggested the governor was threatening political opponents.
Iliya maintained that Zulum did not mention the “Tinubu Must Go” group, the ADC or any other opposition organisation during the media engagement.
He argued that the governor’s remarks were focused strictly on security, peace and public order, insisting that the administration would not allow criminal activities to undermine the relative stability achieved in the state.
The spokesman also criticised the ADC’s reaction, describing it as a form of “self-indictment”. He said the campaign council’s decision to respond to comments about criminal groups appeared, in his view, to suggest that it was taking responsibility for their activities.
Iliya stressed that the Borno State Government would continue to prioritise peace and stability, arguing that political parties would not be able to conduct campaigns or participate effectively in elections without security and order.
He further appealed to political actors and critics to exercise restraint when commenting on security matters, particularly given Borno State’s long history of insurgency.
According to him, the state has only recently experienced improved peace and stability after more than a decade of conflict, making security an issue that should be approached with caution and responsibility even during political campaigns.
The governor’s spokesman urged the ADC and other political actors to support efforts aimed at preserving the peace in Borno, rather than allowing political disagreements to affect security and stability in the state.
Source: The PUNCH
