Protesters on Monday took to the streets of Lagos to demonstrate against the worsening situation in the country and the perceived threat of emergency rule in Rivers State.
The protest, organized by the Take It Back Movement (TIBM), saw participants gather under the popular Ikeja Under-Bridge, from where they proceeded towards the Lagos State Government House and the State House of Assembly in Alausa to express their grievances.
The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Any law that forbids us from speaking against oppression in Nigeria is no longer a law but shackles of slavery” and “When law becomes a tool of oppression, unite to repeal it”
Despite the presence of tight security around the area, the demonstration remained peaceful.
This action comes just a day after the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged organizers to cancel the planned nationwide protest scheduled for April 7, 2025.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, the protest was described as “ill-timed,” particularly because it coincided with the newly designated National Police Day.
“In line with global best practices in celebrating police institutions, the Nigerian Government has declared April 7 as National Police Day.
Also Read
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is questionable and perceived as a deliberate and unpatriotic act aimed at maligning the image of the Nigeria Police and the nation as a whole.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby advises the organizers to shelve the planned protest,” the statement read in parts.
However, in a statement released last Friday, the National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the protest was aimed at resisting what he termed the “increasing authoritarianism” of the current administration and demand urgent relief for Nigerians battling inflation and insecurity.
Despite the Police warning, the Take It Back Movement went ahead with its demonstration in Lagos, insisting on the right to peaceful assembly.
Post Views: 7
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
