On 11 October 2026, members of the **[Tinubu Must Go movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinubu_Must_Go)** reported that police had blocked access to the event centre they had hired in Kano State for a public meeting. Convenor and lawyer Abba Hikima said roughly ten mobile police vehicles were positioned at the site, effectively barring participants from entering.
Key details of the incident include:
- The gathering was intended to educate Nigerians on the need to vote out **[President Bola Ahmed Tinubu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bola_Ahmed_Tinubu)** in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
- Hikima filmed the police presence and posted the video on his verified Facebook page, wearing a shirt and fez emblazoned with the slogan “Tinubu Must Go”.
- He quoted the Constitution, citing sections 35, 39 and 40, to assert the group’s right to free speech, assembly and association.
- The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, did not respond to media inquiries about the blockade.
**What did the movement say about the police action?**
Hikima argued that the police were acting as “oppressors” and that the blockade was an attempt to silence dissent. He emphasized that the meeting was lawful, civil and organized by lawyers, and that no criminal activity was planned.
**How did the organiser justify the legality of the meeting?**
He referenced the **[Constitution of Nigeria](https://www.nigeria- law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm)**, stating that section 39 guarantees freedom of expression, section 40 protects the right to associate, and section 35 secures personal liberty. According to Hikima, these provisions remove any requirement for police permission for peaceful assemblies.
**What was the response from the Kano police hierarchy?**
Hikima recounted a phone call with Kano State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Bakori, who advised that the police be informed of the meeting as a courtesy. Hikima replied that the event would be held within a secured perimeter and would remain peaceful.
**What are the movement’s next steps?**
Despite the obstruction, Hikima declared that the group would reconvene, planning future protests, demonstrations and rallies, invoking a recent Court of Appeal ruling that they do not need police clearance for such gatherings.
The incident underscores the tension between civil society groups seeking political change and security agencies tasked with maintaining order ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.