Protesters shun warnings, hit major streets in Abuja, Lagos, Rivers
The April 7 nationwide protest has taken full shape in the streets of the nation’s capital, Abuja, and major parts of Lagos and Rivers States.
The protest, organised by the Take It Back Movement, was conveyed despite repeated warnings by the police to halt it and choose dialogue to address grievances.
In Abuja, Omoyele Sowore, a leader of the movement, and Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, were seen leading the protest, resisting attempts by police officers to take them off the streets.
In Lagos, a group of protesters were seen with placards in Ikeja, the capital of the state.
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In Rivers, the organisers converged on Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt but were teargassed before the protest gained momentum.
The police authorities had warned against the protest, saying scheduling it to be held on the same day designated by the government as National Police Day was unacceptable.
In a statement, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, said the planned protest appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Nigeria Police and, by extension, the nation.
The statement said, “The Nigeria Police Force has read in the news that a group called ‘Take it Back Movement’ is planning a protest across various states of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled to hold on Monday 7th April 2025, a day earmarked by the Federal Government as the National Police Day, to celebrate the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
“While not against the exercise of citizens right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned about the motive behind such protest scheduled on the same day the contributions of the Nigeria Police Force to national security is to be celebrated, putting into consideration that 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 horns 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.”
The statement called on individuals intending to join the protest to engage in discussions with appropriate government agencies instead of taking to the streets.
The take-it-back movement said it called for a nationwide demonstration to address what it called the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, abuse of human rights and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.”
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