Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the blockade of a venue booked for a gathering of the “Tinubu Must Go” movement in Kano State, describing the action as an “unlawful and outrageous” violation of the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
The global human rights organisation said heavily armed police officers blocked both ends of the road leading to The Avenue Event Centre on Sunday, October 11, 2026, preventing participants from accessing the privately rented venue. In a statement posted on its X platform, Amnesty called on the Nigeria Police Force to desist from what it termed a reckless violation of human rights. “The Nigeria Police must desist from such reckless violation of human rights. It is perfectly within the rights of supporters of all candidates and all political parties to carry out peaceful political activities,” the organisation said. It added that the duty of the police was to facilitate peaceful political gatherings, regardless of the political party or candidate being supported or opposed.
The blockade was captured in a live video posted on Facebook by Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the conveners of the movement. Speaking in the video while wearing a shirt and fez cap bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go,” Hikima said more than ten mobile police vehicles had been stationed at the venue. “Today, the 11th of October 2026, we gathered here in Kano State in order to exercise our fundamental human rights and to associate freely in order to exchange ideas and educate ourselves on the need to send away the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria,” he said. “They have been stationed here in order to prevent us from accessing the private venue which we paid for. This is even the more reason why Tinubu must go.”
Hikima disclosed that he had spoken with the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, on Saturday. According to him, the commissioner told him that courtesy demanded that the police be informed about the gathering. Hikima said he assured the commissioner that the meeting would be civil and conducted within the law, noting that it was being held in an enclosed environment within a perimeter. He argued that the group did not require police permission to hold the meeting, citing Sections 35, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee personal liberty, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly and association, respectively. “The provision of the law is clear that you no longer need police permission to have any gathering. The way you do it in your weddings is the way we have the right to gather here in this event centre and hold this programme,” he said. He also said some officers told him they had no problem with the meeting but objected to participants wearing clothing bearing the “Tinubu Must Go” inscription. “But I say we must wear this. It is our right to do this. It is not insulting. It is not oppressive. It is entirely political,” he said.
The police did not immediately issue a formal statement on the blockade. However, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, later told Nigeria Info FM that the deployment was not intended to prevent the group from meeting but was prompted by concerns for the safety of participants and other residents. Bakori denied any political motive and said the command’s priority was to protect the organisers, their supporters and residents. He said the police had no objection to the meeting itself but wanted to ensure it did not create a security breach in the densely populated area. The police had yet to respond publicly to the allegations contained in Hikima’s video at the time of filing the reports reviewed.
The blockade drew a sharp response from the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, which described the police action as “shameful, unconstitutional and a disturbing descent into authoritarianism.” In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC accused the Kano State Police Command of suppressing dissent and intimidating participants. The council said police operatives barricaded the venue and arrested the owner of the event centre, and urged the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the immediate release of the owner if still in custody. “You cannot arrest hunger by stopping a rally,” the ADC-PCC said, commending Hikima and the participating youths for standing their ground despite the reported police intimidation. “The ADC stands firmly with Barrister Abba Hikima, the courageous youths of Kano and every Nigerian who has found the courage to say enough is enough.”
The “Tinubu Must Go” movement describes itself as a non-partisan platform established to enlighten the public and mobilise Nigerians to vote out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. Its convener, Dantani, said the movement was formed on March 30, 2026, in response to the administration’s economic policies, which the group blames for the hardship faced by Nigerians. The slogan began as scattered chants during Democracy Day protests in June 2026 before developing into a coordinated movement. The group has since organised rallies and gatherings in several states, including Borno, where five men were arrested and charged in September 2026 for wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan. Amnesty International condemned those arrests at the time, describing the charges as “bizarre” and accusing the Borno State Government of cracking down on peaceful dissent.
The Kano blockade is the latest in what Amnesty International has described as a troubling pattern of police repression targeting opposition members across Nigeria. In September 2026, Amnesty raised alarm over the arrest, detention and harassment of critics of the Kano State Government, saying the arrests were indicative of “constant harassment of opposition politicians and their supporters, and severe stifling of freedom of expression in Kano State.” The organisation has also condemned the cancellation of a planned public presentation of a book critically examining President Tinubu’s administration, describing the development as part of an escalating pattern of political repression and intolerance of dissenting opinions. Amnesty’s 2026 annual report documented the arrest, prosecution and arbitrary detention of journalists and others over dissenting expression across the country.
The political context of the incident is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. President Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. Kano State, as Nigeria’s most populous state and a key battleground in the North-West, will be closely watched. The National Peace Committee has recorded 60 election-related incidents within one month, including political violence, intimidation, threats and misinformation, and has warned political actors against inflammatory campaigns.
For the members of the “Tinubu Must Go” movement, the blockade represents another obstacle in their campaign to mobilise Nigerians against the President’s re-election. For the police, it raises questions about the balance between ensuring public safety and respecting the constitutional rights of citizens to assemble and express political opinions. For Nigerians watching the unfolding political season, the incident is a reminder that the boundaries of dissent remain contested, and that the conduct of security agencies in the run-up to the 2027 elections will shape whether the campaign is conducted in an atmosphere of freedom or fear. As Hikima put it, the group will continue to wear its insignia and hold its gatherings. “Next time, we are going to protest; next time, we are going to demonstrate; next time we are going to hit the ground,” he said.
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