Breaking: Tension as Protesters Defy Police, Storm Streets in Abuja, Lagos, Others
- A group of Nigerians under the aegis of the ‘Take It Back’ movement, on Monday, April 7, took to the streets of Lagos, Abuja, and other places in protest against what they described as bad governance
- The protesters chanted solidarity songs. “We are hungry! What are we saying?” they echoed in unison, drawing attention from bystanders and passersby
- TheTalk.NG reports that the protest coincided with the National Police Day celebrations held at Eagle Square, Abuja
TheTalk.NG journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro, civil society organisations, and others.
FCT, Abuja – Protesters are currently out on the streets of Abuja and Lagos state.
As reported by Daily Trust on Monday morning, April 7, the protests organised by the Take It Back Movement, are ongoing despite repeated warnings by the police.
The Take It Back movement has kicked off its nationwide protests over the alleged misuse of the cybercrime act and the recent declaration of emergency rule in Rivers.
Photo credit: Ayekooto AkindeleSource: Facebook
Channels Television also noted the update.
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. The defiance by the activists caused tension in the Nigerian capital city.
The video can be watched below:
In Lagos, a group of protesters were seen with placards in Ikeja, capital of the state.
Protesters in Rivers state ask President Bola Tinubu to reinstate Governor Fubara.
Photo credit: Sir Siminalayi FubaraSource: Facebook
In Rivers, the organisers converged on Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt but were teargassed before the protest gained momentum.
Speaking to journalists after the incident, leader of the ‘Take It Back’ movement in Rivers state, Amaye King Amaye, said the group will regroup to ensure that the voices of Rivers people were heard.
Amaye said they staged the protest over alleged anti-people’s policies by the federal government and to reinstall the democratically elected governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara.
TheTalk.NG recalls that police authorities 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, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the national spokesperson of the Nigerian police, stated that the planned protest appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Nigerian police and, by extension, the nation.
The statement called on individuals intending to join the protest to engage in discussions with appropriate government agencies instead of taking to the streets.
Read more on state of the nation:
Nigerians react as Sowore fronts call for nationwide protest
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that Nigerians on social media reacted after it appeared Sowore led the planned #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria charge.
Sowore announced the locations of protest coordinators across Nigeria for the planned #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstration.
In the same vein, speaking on Nigeria Info FM 99.3, the African Action Congress (AAC) chieftain asserted that there is a massive desire by Nigerians to revolt against their sociopolitical conditions.
Source: TheTalk.NG
