Police operatives on Monday disrupted the protest organised by the Take-It-Back Movement over the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the alleged misuse of the Cyber Crime Act and the hardships in the country.

The attack on the protesters triggered condemnation from various groups, including Amnesty International.

The Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said this showed that the government was not willing to listen to Nigerians.

He criticised the action as a serious violation of human rights, stressing that the people have the right to assemble and associate with others.

He said, ‘’People have the right to associate and the duty of the security agencies is not to tear gas them, it is not to harass them or violate them but to facilitate them and make sure they do their protest peacefully and with all the projections that would let them have their voice heard.

“But the police once again have proven to be against humanity’s right, they have proven not to be ready to change from their old ways of hostility. We condemn this act and want to call on them to change before it’s too late because Nigerians cannot continue to tolerate this kind of assault; enough is enough.

“It happened in August and in October last year and now we are witnessing another one it was completely a lawless attack and Amnesty International condemns it and we are documenting it.’’

The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Musa Rafsanjani, also berated the security agencies over the crackdown.

He said, “I want to appeal to the Nigerian Police that disrespecting or attacking peaceful protesters is not good for their image. We have seen in many countries,s including the United States, people are doing protests and the police are guarding them, helping to make sure that the protest happens without any disruption or any people hiding under it to commit any criminal activities.

“I think it is not really good and the police should stop doing that because tomorrow they will also retire and they will start protesting against non-payment of their pension or gratuity. Who will kill them if they do that? The police are even victims.”

The demonstration, which began as early as 7am, was truncated by security operatives who fired tear gas at the participants in Abuja and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The protesters in Lagos similarly had a confrontation with the security personnel who blocked them from accessing the state House of Assembly.

However, the protest did not take place in Benue, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Sokoto and others.

The event recorded a low turn-out in Plateau State.

In the FCT, roadblocks were set up along the Nyanya/Maraba axis and roads leading to the federal secretariat.

This led to significant traffic congestion in the affected areas.

In support of the police, the Nigerian Air Force scrambled two helicopters for aerial surveillance over the nation’s capital.

The choppers flew for several hours as the police went after the protesters, arresting two of them, identified as flagboy and Abosede.

Journalists, commuters and other residents were caught in the snafu, which abruptly ended the rally.

Confirming the arrests, a protest leader, Rex Elanu, said, “Our protest was violently dispersed. Bosede and Flagboy have been arrested. The flag boy is the one you saw carrying the Nigerian flag.”

Prominent activist and a former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, also joined the protest.

In Lagos, the police prevented the protesters from reaching the Lagos State Assembly complex, where they intended to submit a letter containing their demands.

The protesters had earlier gathered at the Ikeja Under Bridge as they displayed placards with inscriptions expressing their grievances, and chanted solidarity songs.

But they met armed policemen who had mounted a roadblock some meters away from the assembly’s entrance.

The police officers were joined by men of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

Irked by their presence, the protesters insisted on presenting their letter, but the operatives refused to yield.

The showdown lasted for about two hours, as no lawmaker showed up to address them.

The national coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, accused the security operatives of violating their rights to protest.

He said, “The policemen are preventing us from accessing the house of assembly. It is the people’s assembly, so why are they blocking it? They are impeding our constitutional rights to movement, peaceful assembly, and protest.”

Sanyaolu also demanded the release of protesters who were arrested in some parts of the country where the protest was held.

While describing the demonstration as a warning action, Sanyaolu declared that another protest would come up in August should the government fail to meet their demands.

He said, “Currently, protesters have been arrested in Abuja after they were violently dispersed. We are calling for the immediate release of the protesters arrested in Abuja, Yobe, Gombe and Rivers States.

‘’This is a warning action, and we are going back to remobilise. By the time we get back in August, we will shake the entire country and the entire world.

“We want the Federal Government to stop the Cyber Crime Act, the emergency rule in Rivers State, the demolition of houses in Oworonshoki and other parts of Lagos State and stop the trial of those who are being charged for treason after the #Endbadgovernance protest.”

Prior to the commencement of the protest, the policemen were deployed to some strategic locations across the state to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Concerned by the demonstrators’ resort to street procession, the Lagos State Government admonished them to comply with a recent court ruling that restricts protests to two designated locations within the state.

In a statement on Monday by the Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Grace Alo, the government reaffirmed its recognition of citizens’ fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and association but warned that such rights must be exercised lawfully and with respect for public safety.

Referring to a judgment by the Lagos High Court delivered on January 30, 2025, the government noted that protests within Lagos are now legally restricted to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in Ketu.

It said, “The state government wishes to draw the attention of the general public, especially the Take it Back Movement, the organisers of the planned protest to a judgment of the Lagos High Court delivered on Thursday January 30, 2025 which restricted protests in Lagos State to two designated locations to wit: Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos State.

“The court further held that any organiser or protester who participates in protests outside these designated areas shall be responsible and liable jointly and severally in damages for any injury, loss, or destruction of properties.”

The government advised all protest organisers and participants to strictly comply with the court ruling and to notify the Nigeria Police Force ahead of any planned protest to ensure the provision of adequate security.

In Port Harcourt, there was also a confrontation between the protest participants and the security agents comprising the army, police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The protesters waved placards with slogans such as ‘Stop the Repression’ and ‘Let Us Breathe.’

The protesters, led by the Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement in Rivers State, King Amanyie, arrived at Isaac Boro Park at about 9am, but the operatives cut them short, saying they did not have permission to use the facility.

An unidentified officer who addressed them, ordered them to move to the federal secretariat instead.

After some back and forth, the demonstrators marched towards the CFC junction along Aba Road, where they were again accosted by a large number of police operatives who asked them to break up their rally.

Provoked by the attitude of the protesters, the operatives fired tear gas canisters and also shot live bullets in the air, sending everyone running for safety.

A protester identified as Amanyie was hit in the leg by a canister.

The operatives were seen assaulting the Channels TV correspondent, Charles Opurum, whom they later bundled into their vehicle. They seized the camera of the AIT crew.

The journalists were later released, and their cameras returned to them.

Speaking to newsmen after the tension, a former spokesperson for the coalition of civil society organizations in Rivers State, Solomon Menu, said, “As we have always maintained, freedom is not free, and protest is the right of every citizen of Nigeria as guaranteed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“They have used their brute force to disperse us today, but we are going to continue. What we are going to do now is to get back to our comrades to ensure that they are all safe and well, and then we’ll reconvene again and continue to push these demands that all the right be done.’’

A legal practitioner who joined the protest, Chetam Nwala, condemned the actions of the security operatives.

He said, “They started shooting tear gas canisters at us, it was a joint team from the Army, the police, the civil defence, they were all there.

“The Army started shooting sporadically in the air, the police started shooting tear gas canisters at us, chasing us and even arrested some of the reporters who came to cover the event. They shot a protester in the leg. He’s currently hospitalized as we speak.’’

However, the Rivers police denied shooting at the protesters.

The police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement stated, “The command wishes to categorically clarify that the report is unfounded. Upon receiving intelligence regarding the protest, our officers were promptly deployed to the specified locations.

“On arrival, a group of miscreants was observed engaging in criminal acts, including the theft of mobile phones and other valuables from unsuspecting members of the public. Our operatives responded swiftly, dispersing the individuals.’’

The demonstration was peaceful in Osogbo, the Osun capital, with the protesters moving through the streets accompanied by policemen in five trucks.

One of the coordinators of the Take-It-Back Movement, Victor Lijofi, called on the Federal Government to immediately repeal the Cyber Crime Act, which he said was being used to suppress free speech.

Lijofi said, “Government has been using the Cyber Crime Act to torment us. We will use this opportunity to protest that law. We are ending the protest for today at Olaiya Junction. We don’t have the power to declare an end to the protest.

“Other youth groups can come out tomorrow to start their own protest. We are calling on the government to repeal the Cyber Crime Act so that Nigerians, bloggers can express themselves freely and allow democracy to thrive.”

“When we came out, DSS and police operatives came out, and they just followed us. They didn’t stop us. They appeared calm. They, however, stopped us on the way and advised us to turn back, but we didn’t listen to them,” he narrated.

The rally was peaceful in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The protesters, the majority of whom are members of the African Action Congress, decried the poor economy.

They marched from the Iwo end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in the early hours of the day.

The State Coordinator of the Movement, Dimeji Salako, said the protest was to express displeasure against the Cyber Crime Act, which he said was used to gag the people.

The state Chairman of AAC, Kayode Babayomi, argued that the youths were not pleased with the Act ‘’as it is sending people to jail needlessly because they choose to express themselves online.’’

In Edo State, the protesters demanded effective action against insecurity and also demanded pro-people economic policies.

“I urge the Federal Government to channel their energy on those things that will benefit the masses rather than trying to suffocate them with the Cyber Crime Act,’’ Afiz Lawal stated.

The leader of the Talakawa Parliament, Kola Edokpayi, alleged that some Nigerians now scavenge from the dustbin.

Few people turned up for the rally held at the Old Airport Roundabout in Jos, Plateau State.

The coordinator, Jonah Onah, attributed the low turnout to government intimidation.

“People are scared, but even if I’m the only person, I will come out and protest because the situation in the country is not just right. Look at the killings in the country. In other states, the protest is massive but here in Jos, the situation is different and that is why things keep happening and nobody is taking responsibility.

“They kill people, and they are not doing anything, and the next thing they do is to start distributing palliatives. Do they think we need palliatives more than we need protection? Our leaders have really failed us, and we can’t continue like this,” he declared.

Checks by our correspondents indicate that the protest did not hold in Benue, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Sokoto and other northern states.

PUNCH