Police officers in Abuja’s Maitama District used teargas to disperse protesters, advocating for urgent government action on deteriorating economic conditions, increasing repression, and alleged abuses of the Cybercrime Act by the Police.
The nationwide protests organised by the Take-It-Back Movement and civil society groups coincided with the National Police Day celebrations at Eagle Square in Abuja.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the Police authorities cautioned against the protests across various States of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Force stressed that April 7 is a day earmarked by the Federal Government as the National Police Day to celebrate the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
They noted that the choice of the same day for protests by the group was pregnant with ulterior motives.
As part of the security arrangements for the official event, authorities placed a blockade around the Three Arms Zone, where top police officials were expected to attend the ceremony honouring the service of the Nigeria Police Force.
Protesters, including human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, carried placards with messages such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” aimed at drawing attention to what the organizers described as a growing wave of authoritarianism under the current administration.
The National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, who led the mobilisation, outlined the key issues fueling the protest, including soaring inflation, nationwide insecurity, and a “state of emergency” in Rivers State.
Although the protest began peacefully, it descended into chaos when police operatives deployed tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Protesters were seen fleeing the area, with tensions running high.
At the time of filing this report, there were no confirmed reports of injuries or arrests.
The National Assembly complex, one of the protesters’ intended destinations — remained deserted due to the ongoing legislative recess.
Lawmakers are scheduled to resume on April 29.
Despite the disruption, protest leaders insisted that the demonstration was necessary and timely, stressing the urgent need for government action to address rising economic hardship, insecurity, and perceived efforts to silence dissent.
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