NIGERIA: Police On Red Alert As Take-It-Back Movement, Civil Groups Set For Nationwide Protest

By Ameenat Hamzat Lagos, Nigeria

The Nigeria Police Force has placed its personnel on red alert across the country, ahead of a planned nationwide protest scheduled for today, Monday, by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society groups.

The protest, which seeks to highlight growing economic hardship, the clampdown on civil liberties, and the political crisis in Rivers State, has prompted a sweeping deployment of security operatives to strategic locations across the nation.

In a statement on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the protest was ill-timed and “mischievous,” as it coincides with the maiden National Police Day celebration.

Adejobi 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.”

“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 are to be celebrated.”

Adejobi emphasized that staging a protest on the same day the police are being honored was “questionable” and could “malign the image of the police and the nation as a whole.”

Reaffirming the police’s respect for the rights of citizens, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged the group to embrace dialogue and due process, calling on the organizers to “shelve this planned protest as it is ill-timed and mischievous.”

However, the Take-It-Back Movement has vowed to go ahead with the protest.

Speaking in an interview on Sunday, the group’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the rally would address pressing national issues, including the misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the general economic hardship facing Nigerians.

Sanyaolu stated: “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 an 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 added: “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.”

In Abuja, one of the protest coordinators, Adenola Michael, said the rally would begin at the National Assembly.

Michael confirmed: “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.”

A circular from the Lagos Command, the State Police Commissioner, Moshood Jimoh, has also directed the deployment of officers to protect critical infrastructure and prevent any breakdown of law and order.

The circular 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.”

The police said past experiences showed that criminals might exploit such protests to “launch attacks on government facilities and opposition leaders to disrupt socio-economic activities in the state.”

In Osun State, the protest will also be held as planned, according to Victor Lijofi, a coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement.

Lifoji noted: “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.”

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command also confirmed readiness to manage any situation that may arise.

The FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirms this as she stated: “We are aware, and we are on it.”

In Adamawa, the Police Commissioner, Dankombo Morris, has ordered deployment around key locations such as the state secretariat, courts, airport, and roundabouts. Spokesman Suleiman Nguroje disclosed that the directive was based on intelligence reports.

In Ogun, Commissioner of Police Lanre Ogunlowo said the police would not allow a breach of peace.

“While it is the fundamental right of the people to protest peacefully, the police will, however, not tolerate breakdown of law and order. Though, as we speak, nobody has contacted the command about any protest, we will continue to do our job and never allow or encourage any action that could hurt the peace we are enjoying in the state.”

Similarly, the Niger State Police Command warned against violence. The spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, said officers would be deployed to maintain law and order.

“No group of persons have come out to inform the command of their intention to protest. However, the command is fully prepared to carry out its statutory responsibility of ensuring public safety,” Abiodun stated.

In Nasarawa, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, said, “I can assure you that anyone who goes about looking for trouble or causing any form of violence will be arrested.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kwara State also said it was monitoring the situation and had deployed officers in key locations.

“Our officers are strategically deployed across key areas, and we are prepared to respond swiftly to any developments while upholding the right to peaceful assembly,” NSCDC PRO Ayoola Michael said.

In Jigawa, the Police PRO, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the command had not received any official notice but was prepared for any eventuality.

Sokoto Police spokesman, Ahmed Rufai, said the command would hold meetings with community leaders to discourage participation, citing the risk of violence linked to recent killings in Edo State.