Officers of the Nigeria Police Force disrupted a peaceful protest in the Maitama area of Abuja, using tear gas to disperse the crowd. This comes after the protesters defied the Inspector General of Police’s order, as he earlier warned against the protest.
The peaceful protesters, who had gathered to voice their concerns, were thrown into chaos when tear gas canisters were deployed, causing many to flee in search of safety.
The protest was part of the Nationwide demonstration organised by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations. It kicked off in the early hours of Monday in various cities across the country, including Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, among others.
The organisers aimed to use the avenue to register their grievances and draw the attention of the government to various national issues. Among the key issues the protesters voiced include the deteriorating economic hardship, the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, the alleged unjustified state of emergency declared in Rivers State, among others.
The demonstrators were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions including “I am a TikToker not a bandit” ,“Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” etc.
In a statement issued last Friday, Juwon Sanyaolu, the National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, hinted that the protest was intended to push back against what he described as the “rising authoritarianism” of the current administration. He emphasized the need for immediate relief for Nigerians grappling with inflation and insecurity.
Among the protesters present in Abuja today were Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and Barr Deji Adeyanju, among others.
