The Borno State Police Command has explained the circumstances surrounding the arrest and prosecution of five suspects in Maiduguri following reports linking the case to allegations of political thuggery.
The command said the suspects were arrested on September 25, 2026, during a routine township patrol around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri.
According to a statement issued by ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, Police Public Relations Officer for the command, the five suspects were apprehended over alleged conduct capable of causing public disturbance.
The police said items allegedly recovered from the suspects included 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 suspects were subsequently subjected to preliminary investigation, during which the police said statements were obtained from them.
The command said that after the initial investigation was completed, the case was charged to court.
The police, however, said the arrest and prosecution were not based on the suspects’ political affiliation or views, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force remained a non-partisan institution.
‘The Nigeria Police Force is a professional, non-partisan institution and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of political affiliation or viewpoint,’ the statement said.
The command added that it remained committed to protecting fundamental human rights, the rule of law, due process, accountability and transparency in the discharge of its responsibilities.
It also said the decision to take the matter before a competent court was intended to allow the judicial process to determine the case.
‘Members of the public are therefore urged to rely on verified information and allow the court to determine the matter based on the facts and evidence presented before it,’ the statement said.
The command reiterated its commitment to professionalism, impartiality, accountability and the protection of lives and property in Borno State.