City Boy Movement Alleges Sponsored Protest After Picketing Of Headquarters

The City Boy Movement (CBM) has alleged that the picketing of its headquarters in Abuja on Friday by a group claiming to be protesting insecurity was a sponsored political action aimed at provoking confrontation and intimidating its members.

In a statement signed by its deputy director-general, media, communications and public affairs, O’tega Ogra, the movement dismissed the action as lacking genuine concern over the country’s security challenges, insisting it was designed to create a false narrative against the organisation.

“We will not dress this up. What happened at our office was not a genuine protest. It was a sponsored political action aimed at provoking confrontation, intimidating our members, and pinning a false narrative on the City Boy Movement,” Ogra said.

While acknowledging that insecurity remains a serious national concern affecting many families and communities, the group said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was taking decisive measures to address the challenge.

The statement referenced President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address in which he warned terrorists to surrender or face “the full force of the Nigerian State,” adding that the movement fully supports the President’s stance.

According to the group, terror-related deaths have fallen by 81 per cent since 2015, while more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year. It also noted that the 2026 budget allocated N5.41 trillion to defence and security, describing it as the largest security allocation in the country’s history.

CBM further alleged that one of the individuals captured in video footage from the incident called for its property to be set ablaze, describing the remark as a threat of arson.

It said the footage had been preserved and would be handed over to security agencies, warning that those involved would be pursued through legal channels.

“Your right to peaceful protest is guaranteed. Nobody disputes that. But what happened today was not peaceful in any meaningful sense,” the statement said.

The movement maintained that while citizens have the right to protest, such rights do not extend to intimidation, threats or attempts to prevent others from freely associating with political groups of their choice.

It also urged young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used by individuals pursuing political interests, saying ordinary citizens often bear the consequences of such actions.

Reaffirming its support for the Tinubu administration, the City Boy Movement said it would not be intimidated or distracted and would continue to cooperate with security agencies to protect its members, staff and property.

The group added that although it remained open to sincere dialogue, it would resist what it described as harassment, blackmail and political manipulation disguised as protest.