June 12: We Seek Peace, Not Government Change –Anti-Terror Movement

As Nigeria commemorated the 2026 Democracy Day anniversary, scores of protesters under the banner of #NigeriaUniteAgainstTerrorism marched through parts of Abuja on Friday, demanding decisive action against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping while insisting their movement was not aimed at unseating the current administration.

The demonstrators urged the federal government to intensify efforts to restore security across the country, warning that unchecked insecurity could allow non-state actors to overrun Nigeria.

The protest came amid growing concern over worsening security and a separate demonstration earlier led by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), whose supporters called for President Bola Tinubu’s removal over insecurity.

Organisers of #NigeriaUniteAgainstTerrorism distanced themselves from calls for regime change, stressing their mission was solely to demand peace and security. “We are not asking anybody to leave government. We are not saying an end to any government. But what we are saying here is that Nigeria should live in peace,” one protest leader declared.

Addressing journalists, organisers said Nigerians had reached a breaking point as terrorism and violent crimes spread across different regions. “Nigerian citizens, enough is enough. Thank God Mr President in his speech this morning has told us that there is time to end plea bargains and other subtle approaches towards terrorism in Nigeria. This gives us hope that we are moving forward in the fight against terrorism,” the speaker said.

He lamented the expansion of insecurity beyond its traditional strongholds. “In 2012, it was the North-East. By 2015, the North-West was engaged. Before we got to 2019, North-Central Nigeria was affected and this is 2026, the South-West is feeling the bite.”

He warned that failure to confront the crisis decisively could leave the country vulnerable: “If we fold our arms and watch, Nigeria is about to be taken over by non-state actors… One day we will start paying taxes to bandits and deriving protection from those who seek to destroy us.”

According to organisers, the movement was initiated weeks ago to alert government and citizens to the growing security emergency. “We have decided to make this move to bring to the notice of government and people in power that Nigerians are tired. Nigerians are making their voices known. Nigerians are saying that we are no longer comfortable with the trend of terrorism.”

Another speaker described the campaign as a non-partisan national movement uniting Nigerians across political, religious and ethnic divides against insecurity. “We are not political. We are a sovereign nation called the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Everyone is now a victim of insecurity.”

He argued that successive governments have failed to permanently address the problem despite changes in leadership: “Government comes, government goes, but the insecurity is still on. We acknowledge the efforts of our security operatives, but something is missing.”

Protesters called on Nigerians to set aside partisan interests and unite against what they described as the country’s common enemy. “It is now that we suspend our political differences. It is now that we suspend our religious beliefs and regional interests. We must promote a sovereign Nigeria that is safe from banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram.”

They appealed to civil society organisations, religious groups, academics and ordinary citizens to join the campaign from the North to the West, from the South-East to the South-South—Muslims, Christians, pagans, free thinkers and the academic community.

The organisers urged the federal government to remain open to citizen suggestions on tackling insecurity and encouraged Nigerians to provide timely intelligence to security agencies. “When you see something, say something. And when you say something, the government should do something,” they said.

They also cautioned against sympathising with criminal groups.“Don’t be loyal to bandits. Don’t be loyal to kidnappers. Don’t be loyal to Boko Haram,” they added.

Reiterating that their campaign is not politically motivated but driven by a collective desire for peace, one organiser quoted British philosopher Edmund Burke, “When the bad men combine, the good must associate, else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”