Amnesty International Condemns Police Blockade of ‘Tinubu Must Go’ Meeting in Kano
Amnesty International has condemned the alleged police blockade of a venue booked for a ‘Tinubu Must Go’ gathering in Kano State, describing the action as an infringement on citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of association and political expression.
The human rights organisation said armed police officers blocked both ends of the road leading to the venue on Sunday, October 11, preventing members of the movement from accessing the location for their planned meeting.
In a statement posted on its official X account, Amnesty described the incident as unlawful and urged the Nigeria Police Force to respect citizens’ fundamental rights and refrain from actions that could restrict peaceful political activities.
The organisation stressed that supporters of political parties, candidates and movements should be allowed to organise and participate in peaceful gatherings, irrespective of their political affiliations or views on the government.
According to Amnesty, the police have a responsibility to facilitate peaceful assemblies and protect participants rather than obstruct their activities.
It maintained that freedom of association and peaceful assembly are constitutional rights that should not be treated as privileges available only to supporters of particular political parties or groups.
The condemnation followed allegations by Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the conveners of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement, who said police officers prevented members from accessing a privately hired venue they had paid to use for the meeting.
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Hikima alleged that about 10 mobile police vehicles were deployed around the event centre, effectively preventing participants from gaining entry.
He said the gathering was intended to provide members with an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss their opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawyer also disclosed that the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, had contacted him before the meeting and advised that the police should have been informed about the planned gathering.
Hikima said he assured the commissioner that the meeting would be peaceful and conducted within an enclosed venue.
Amnesty further expressed concern that the incident reflected what it described as a troubling pattern of police actions against opposition supporters in different parts of Nigeria.
The organisation warned that repeated allegations of intimidation and obstruction could undermine citizens’ ability to express political opinions, associate freely and participate in peaceful gatherings.
The incident has renewed attention on the handling of political dissent and protest activities in Nigeria, particularly gatherings organised by groups critical of the Federal Government.
However, an official response from the Kano State Police Command was not available in the account of the incident reviewed for this report.
The allegations have also raised questions about the balance between police responsibilities for maintaining public order and the obligation to protect citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and political expression.
The circumstances surrounding the reported blockade, including the police command’s position and any measures taken to resolve the dispute, remain to be established.
