The police authorities have placed their men on red alert ahead of a fresh nationwide protest slated for Monday (today) by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society groups.
The Nigeria Police Force said it had deployed its personnel in strategic locations while warning the protesters to shelve the planned demonstration, which was meant to protest the worsening hardship in the country, clampdowns on civil liberties, and the crisis in Rivers State.
The state police commands in separate interview also highlighted the steps being taken to ensure that the rally did not degenerate into violence.
However, the National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the protest equally aimed to confront issues surrounding the misuse of the Cybercrime Act, stating that the group would not back down on the rally.
The civil disobedience comes nine months after the #EndBadGovernance protests, which were held last August to protest the high costs of living in the country.
In Abuja, the organisers said they would converge at the National Assembly.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Sanyaolu stressed that the organisers are prepared for any form of repression by security agencies.
We are undeterred by police attempts to repress the protest, and we are prepared to challenge any possible repression that may arise in the course of our peaceful protest tomorrow.
“What we saw during the #EndBadGovernance protests was a disgrace and affront to the democratic rights of citizens. Many were killed, and minors were arrested. All things being equal, the IG should have left that seat, and the president should not still be in office,” he said.
He added that mobilization efforts had shown a growing wave of public frustration.
“Interestingly, you’ll discover that Nigerians are fed up. Recently, we saw the beginning of a 30-day challenge by Nigerians to express their frustrations about the government of the day,” he noted.
One of the coordinators of the protest in the nation’s capital, Adenola Michael, confirmed that the threats of clampdown would not deter them.
“We do realise Nigeria is supposed to operate a democracy even though most of the rulers are tyrants. As such, we will not be deterred by threats of clampdown, knowing that the laws of the land still guarantee our right to protest. We will surely exercise it, in defence of our dying democracy,” he said.
But the NPF advised the organisers to suspend their plan, describing the protest as “ ill-timed and mischievous.”
The protest coincides with the commemoration of the maiden National Police Day.
In a statement on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, questioned the timing of the rally.
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has read in the news that a group called Take-it-Back Movement is planning a protest across various states of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled to hold on Monday 7th April, 2025, 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.
“While not against the exercise of citizens right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned about the motive behind such protest scheduled on the same day the contributions of the Nigeria Police Force to national security is to be celebrated, putting into consideration that such glamorous event would bring together dignitaries from all spheres of life both internationally and within the country, including foreign Inspectors-General of Police and diplomats.”
Adejobi noted that the declaration of April 7 as National Police Day aligns with international best practices, where nations dedicate a day to honour their police institutions.
The police advised the organizers to reconsider their plans and opt for more constructive channels of engagement with the appropriate authorities.
Adejobi said, “In line with best global practices adopted by nations in celebrating the achievements of its Police institution, the Nigerian Government has taken the bull by the horn by declaring every April 7 as National Police Day
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is however questionable and perceived to be a deliberate attempt and unpatriotic act that is capable of rubbishing and maligning the image of the Nigeria Police and the nation as a whole.”
Reaffirming the Force’s commitment to upholding the law and respecting the rights of citizens, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged the group and their supporters to embrace dialogue and follow due process in pressing home their demands.
Adejobi added, “The Nigeria Police Force hereby advises the organizers to shelve this planned protest as it is ill-timed and mischievous.’’
The police urged the organizers and individuals who intended to join the protest to pursue dialogue by engaging the proper institution of government to press home their demands.
Victor Lijofi, one of the coordinators of Take-it -Back Movement in Osun State, said the protest against bad governance and suppression of free speech would hold in the state.
Lijofi rejected the police advice to shelve the demonstration, saying the protest was not about the security organisation.
“It is about the Nigerians that employ the police. So, the protest will go ahead in Osun, and we are inviting the police to play their roles of providing security for lives and properties,” ijofi said.
In readiness for the protest, the Lagos State Police Command has placed its commanders and officers on alert.
The Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, in a directive, also ordered that security be beefed up around critical infrastructure and strategic locations across the state to prevent any disruption.
The circular by the command partly read, “Intelligence report at the command’s disposal reveals a plan by some subversive groups parading themselves as civil society organisations, and other misguided anti-government forces, to incite nationwide protest on 7th April 2025 aimed at drawing the attention of the government to their perceived prevailing high cost of living and free speech suppression.
“Furthermore, the groups have flooded the social media platforms with narrations geared towards winning public sympathy, discrediting the government and galvanising support for the protest.
‘’Experience has shown that criminals may want to seize the opportunity of the protest to cause mayhem, particularly to launch attacks on government facilities and opposition leaders to disrupt socio-economic activities in the state, amongst others.”