Youths across Nigeria on Monday, April 7, defied police warnings to stage coordinated protests against what they describe as “bad governance” and suppression of free speech, particularly through the controversial Cybercrime Act of 2024 and the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State.
Led by the Take-It-Back (TIB) Movement, demonstrators gathered in major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, and Port Harcourt. Protesters, many wearing the group’s signature orange berets, converged under Ikeja Under Bridge in Lagos and marched through key roads chanting solidarity songs, while being monitored by police officers. Similar demonstrations were reported in Oyo and Abuja, remaining largely peaceful.
However, tensions flared in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where police officers reportedly fired teargas and assaulted protesters and journalists at Isaac Boro Park. Protesters claimed they had informed the Rivers State Police Command of their peaceful intentions via a letter dated April 3.
The protests were ignited by President Bola Tinubu’s March 18 declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State following a political crisis between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike. Tinubu suspended both the governor and the State House of Assembly for six months, appointing a sole administrator to manage the state—a decision critics say violates the constitution.
TIB National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, in an interview with *PUNCH Online*, said the group’s core demand is the repeal of the Cybercrime Act, which they argue has been weaponised against journalists, activists, and social media influencers such as SeaKing. He also called for the immediate reinstatement of democratic structures in Rivers State and an end to economic policies that have “occasioned so much suffering.”
Notable figures like activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore participated in the protests and dismissed the police’s concerns, stating that the demonstrations were not intended to disrupt the National Police Day celebration.
Despite the Nigeria Police Force’s insistence that no one has been arrested merely for criticising the government, rights groups have documented multiple instances in 2024 where journalists were detained under the amended Cybercrime Act. Among those affected were Segun Olatunji, Daniel Ojukwu, Dayo Aiyetan, and Nurudeen Akewushola.
In a video message, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi defended the force’s use of the Cybercrime Act, stating that only individuals spreading falsehood and disinformation have been targeted.
