The ‘take-it-back’ movement has insisted on staging a nationwide protest today against the emergency rule in Rivers State as well as what it called human rights abuse and misuse of Cybercrime Act.
This is even as the Nigeria Police Force has warned the organisers to shelve their planned nationwide protest, describing the timing of the demonstration as ill-conceived and mischievous.
The Force noted that April 7, 2025 has been set aside by the Federal Government for maiden edition of National Police Day.
But the organisers said its move was premised on “ugly trends” in the country.
NSCDC takes 19 youths into protective custody in Benue
Why Palestinians are protesting against Hamas
The take-it-back movement said it called for a nationwide demonstration to address what it called the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu administration, abuse of human rights and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.”
It would be recalled that from August 1 to 10, 2024, many protesters, mostly youths, trooped to major cities across the nation to demand immediate action from the federal government on the cost of living crisis which was believed to have been caused by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s twin policies of the petrol subsidy removal and the currency floating.
The protest, tagged ‘#EndBadGovernanceInNigeriaNow’, saw some youths in parts of the country waving the Russian flags, though many of them were later arrested.
In his reaction to the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeriaNow protest, President Tinubu, in his broadcast on August 4, had said: “My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens. But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart.”
‘Why we’re protesting today’
Addressing journalists at the weekend, the national coordinator of the take-it-back movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, said it was a “nationwide protest against bad governance and free speech suppression”.
He listed the demands of the movement as including the repeal of the Cybercrime Act and the end of the emergency rule in Rivers State, which he alleged was a form of military dictatorship, among others.
Sanyaolu said the protesters in Lagos had been urged to converge on Ikeja, under bridge.
He said those in Oyo State were to converge on the Iwo Road in Ibadan; while the protest was to take off at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The activist said: “We are going ahead with our planned protest. The protest is nationwide, and we are protesting against the oppression of President Bola Tinubu government.
“We are protesting against the pushback of this government on some of the democratic rights of the citizens and the authoritarianism of this government.
“What we are protesting to ensure is that the civic gate is kept open, to ensure that Nigerians can freely continue to organise against systemic injustice and bad governance that have been the hallmark of this regime.”
He cautioned the police and other security agencies not to provoke violence, saying the protesters would resist any attempt by security agencies to disrupt the demonstration.
“We want to caution the police and other security agencies not to provoke protesters by introducing violence into a peaceful protest. They should just do their job and ensure the safety of everyone during the protest,” he added.
Egbetokun’s continued stay in office, illegal – Sowore
The former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that the continued stay of IGP Kayode Egbetokun remained “illegal”, saying that Nigerians would not take such “scandalous” appointment.
He said: “It is the Nigeria Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of ILLEGAL Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, that should reconsider their programme.
“No amount of such initiatives can save Egbetokun from the controversy surrounding his illegal, unjust, and scandalous appointment by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Egbetokun must retire from the Police Force after completing his 35 years in service the way others have retired after completing their mandatory years in service.
“Nigeria needs a new Police Force, not one headed by a spent force IGP utilizing diversionary tactics to shift public attention from his shortcomings and scandals.
“Regardless, tomorrow’s (protest) must go across Nigeria. Nothing can stop the movement of the people! #EgbetokunMustGo #RevolutionNow”
IGP warns against protest on National Police Day
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday cautioned the take-it-back movement against holding a nationwide protest “at a time the Force is celebrating the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Force.”
Egbetokun, in a statement by the spokesman of the Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the Force was not against the exercise of citizens’ right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution.
The IGP, however, said the Nigeria Police Force was deeply concerned about the motive behind such protest scheduled on the same day the contributions of the Force to national security was to be celebrated.
The police chief said “such glamorous event” would bring together dignitaries from all spheres of life both internationally and within the country, including foreign Inspectors-General of Police and diplomats.
“In line with best global practices adopted by nations in celebrating the achievements of its police institution, the Nigerian Government has taken the bull by the horn by declaring every April 7 as National Police Day.
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is however questionable and perceived to be a deliberate attempt and unpatriotic act that is capable of rubbishing and maligning the image of the Nigeria Police and the nation as a whole.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby advises the organisers to shelve this planned protest as it is ill-timed and mischievous,” Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, stated.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force under Egbetokun, the police will adequately carry out its mandate in accordance with the law and respect for rights of citizens.
He urged the organisers of the planned protest as well as individuals who intended to join the protest to pursue dialogue by engaging the proper institution of government to press home their demands.
CSOs back organisers, ask police to protect them
Two civil society groups, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and the Yiaga Africa have expressed support to the planned protest.
They spoke on Sunday in separate interviews with Daily Trust.
Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International (Nigeria), said that the Police Force needed to be re-orientated on their roles and engagement in safeguarding peaceful protests which, according to him, is guaranteed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Normally, as we all know, Nigerians have the constitutional right to peaceful protests against any programme or policy that is anti-people or against their wellbeing. It is also known that the Police would always wanted to stop protests, even if they are not having any Police National Day.
“The police is constitutionally bound to protect protesters and it should not be only when such protests are pro-government that Nigerians who see the protesters being protected by the Police. So the Police should allow the protesters hold their rallies, while they also hold their National Day and the protesters should be protected,” Rafsanjani said.
Also, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, said that “one fact needs to be established that Nigeria is in a democracy, a democracy that is bound by the Constitution. And the Constitution already guarantees citizens’ right to protest and hold their governments to account.
“Protest is a form of citizens expressing their views about how their country is governed. And so, whether they choose to protest on a Christmas Day, or a New Year Day, or even a day for national celebration, it actually doesn’t matter. What matters most is the fact that citizens are exercising their franchise.
“So I don’t think that because it is a Police Day, then people should not be allowed to ventilate their views. I think it is unconstitutional to make those kinds of claims, because a police day is nothing but a day to celebrate or recognise the contributions of the Police.
“If citizens choose that they want to use that day, you know, to ventilate their views that is fine. If there’s a coincidence in the dates, it’s also fine. But what I think the Police needs to do is to use the opportunity and see that the fact that this protest is happening on the same day that you have a police day is an opportunity for the police to really demonstrate that it respect the constitutional rights by allowing the protesters to protest in a civil and peaceful manner.
“But the protesters also have a responsibility to ensure that they protest in a non-violent and civil manner to avoid any provocation from state authorities. We stand against any form of violent protest. What we advocated for is non-violent protest and so far the protesters have indicated that they would be civil in the course of their protest
“So, I think they should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights and the Police should celebrate the Police Day by providing protection to the people who are protesting,” Itodo said.
Amnesty Int’l to FG: Uphold human rights
In its own comment on the planned nationwide protest, Amnesty International has called on authorities to uphold the rights of citizens to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, in a statement yesterday, urged security agencies to respect the constitutional and international rights of demonstrators and cautioned against any form of repression or intimidation.
“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s own constitution and international human rights treaties,” Sanusi stated.
“Government officials must also refrain from issuing rhetoric aimed at demonizing protesters and stifling peaceful dissent.”
In a statement signed by Michael Christian, Social Media and Communications Officer at Amnesty International Nigeria, the organisation warned against any attempts by the government to use the protests as a pretext to suppress civil liberties.
“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crack down on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent,” he stated.
“Authorities must show a commitment to upholding the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their rights,” the organisation said.
It also stated that the planned protests offered a crucial opportunity for the Nigerian government to demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles and human rights.
Additional report by Abbas Jimoh
