By Ayomide Otitoju
Members of the Take-It-Back Movement on Monday defied warnings from the Nigeria Police Force and staged coordinated protests across major cities including Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt to demand action on key national issues.
Wearing their signature orange berets, demonstrators in Lagos commenced the rally at the Ikeja Under Bridge, marching through key roads while chanting solidarity songs under heavy police presence. The protests unfolded despite a prior advisory from the police, who described the planned demonstrations as “ill-conceived and mischievous,” citing potential disruption to the National Police Day celebrations.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, dismissed the concerns, stating that the protest had no intention of undermining police activities and reaffirmed the right of citizens to peaceful assembly.
In Oyo State, protesters marched peacefully through Ibadan, with security personnel on standby to maintain order. However, the situation escalated in Port Harcourt, where police officers fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators gathered at Isaac Boro Park. Witnesses reported that several protesters and journalists were assaulted as officers attempted to disperse the crowd.
One of the demonstrators said the group had notified the police of their intentions via a letter dated April 3, 2025, describing the protest as a peaceful means of expressing dissatisfaction with pressing national concerns.
“Our demands are simple,” a protester in Port Harcourt said. “We want the repeal of the Cybercrime Act, an end to economic hardship, and the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. What we have in Rivers is not governance, but an unconstitutional administration. We are defending democracy.”
In Abuja, demonstrators assembled in the Maitama district and carried placards with inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe.” They were later dispersed with tear gas canisters, causing chaos and panic in parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
The protest, spearheaded by the Take-It-Back Movement in collaboration with several civil society organisations, aimed to draw national attention to growing economic hardship, insecurity, and what the organisers described as the “increasing authoritarianism” of the current administration.
In a statement issued last Friday, the group’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the movement was resisting systemic repression and called for immediate measures to alleviate inflation and restore civil liberties.
Despite police resistance, the protests largely remained peaceful in most states, with organisers vowing to continue their advocacy for justice, democratic accountability, and economic relief for Nigerians.
