Protest as Police barricade Venue of Anti-Tinubu meeting in Kano
Some members of the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement have kicked against blockade of the venue where they were to hold a meeting. Abba Hikima, a lawyer and one of the conveners of the movement, raised the alarm that policemen…
The "Tinubu Must Go" movement is part of a wave of grassroots agitation that has emerged in response to economic hardship linked to subsidy removal, currency reforms, and rising cost of living under the current administration. Such groups have sought to organise protests and meetings across Nigerian states, often clashing with security agencies over permits, venue access, and the right to peaceful assembly, which is constitutionally guaranteed but frequently contested on grounds of public order.
The Kano incident adds to a pattern of tension between protest organisers and police in Nigeria's northern states, where authorities have previously cited security concerns to restrict gatherings. Coverage across outlets agrees that police blocked access to the venue booked for the meeting and that conveners, including lawyer Abba Hikima, objected to the move, while the Kano Commissioner of Police has publicly defended the blockade. What remains unclear from the reporting is the specific security justification offered by police beyond the commissioner's general defence, whether any arrests were made, and what next steps the movement's organisers plan to take.