The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has accused the police in Kano State of violating citizens' constitutional rights following the reported disruption of a protest against President Bola Tinubu's administration.
The council also demanded the immediate release of the owner of The Avenue Event Center in Kano, who was reportedly arrested after allowing organisers of the protest to use the facility.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 11, 2026, the council's Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, condemned the police action, arguing that Nigerians have a constitutional right to express dissatisfaction with government policies through peaceful gatherings.
The protest, organised by a group of concerned youths and led by Barrister Abba Hikima, was held under the banner *Tinubu Must Go*.
According to the ADC campaign council, police officers prevented the gathering from proceeding as planned by barricading the event centre and allegedly intimidating participants.
The council described the intervention as an unacceptable restriction on peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Ologbondiyan questioned the justification for the reported arrest of the facility's owner, maintaining that providing a venue for a peaceful political gathering should not expose a business operator to police detention.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Kano State Police Command to ensure the owner's immediate and unconditional release if the individual remained in custody.
The ADC spokesman further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using security agencies to discourage public criticism of the government.
He argued that preventing citizens from gathering to express their political views was inconsistent with the democratic principles the administration claimed to uphold.
Ologbondiyan maintained that public frustration over economic hardship and insecurity could not be resolved by restricting protests.
He said the grievances expressed by the demonstrators reflected wider concerns about hunger, rising living costs and the security challenges confronting Nigerians.
The council also criticised what it considered a misplaced use of security resources, arguing that greater attention should be directed towards combating banditry, insecurity and the economic difficulties facing households.
According to Ologbondiyan, the authorities should prioritise addressing the conditions prompting public dissatisfaction rather than preventing citizens from expressing their concerns.
Despite the reported police intervention, the ADC-PCC praised Hikima and the participating youths for their determination to make their views known.
The council said the demonstrators had shown courage by continuing to assert their right to peaceful political expression in the face of alleged intimidation.
It maintained that citizens should not be discouraged from participating in democratic activities simply because their opinions differ from those of the government.
Ologbondiyan also warned against actions that could undermine public confidence in the neutrality of the Nigeria Police Force.
He urged police authorities to avoid allowing the institution to be perceived as an instrument for suppressing political opposition or criticism of those in power.
Beyond its appeal to the police leadership, the ADC-PCC called on civil society organisations, human rights advocates and international observers to pay closer attention to developments affecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Nigeria.
The council expressed concern that incidents such as the reported Kano blockade could discourage citizens from exercising their democratic rights.
It insisted that the freedom to organise peaceful protests is constitutionally protected and should not depend on the political position of those participating.
The ADC campaign council reaffirmed its support for Hikima, the Kano youths involved in the protest and other Nigerians seeking to express dissatisfaction with government policies through peaceful means.
The statement did not include an official explanation from the Kano State Police Command regarding the blockade or the reported arrest of the event centre's owner.
It also did not contain a response from the APC to the allegation that the ruling party was influencing police actions against political dissent.
The ADC-PCC maintained its demand for the release of the venue owner, while urging police authorities to respect the constitutional rights of citizens participating in peaceful political activities.