Lagos – Undeterred by police warnings, protesters in Lagos on Monday staged a peaceful demonstration against the misuse of Nigeria’s cybercrime law and the perceived threat of emergency rule in Rivers State.
The demonstration, organized by the Take It Back Movement (TIBM), began under the Ikeja Under-Bridge and advanced toward the Lagos State Government House and the State House of Assembly in Alausa. Protesters demanded urgent government intervention and protection of civil liberties.
Despite a strong security presence, the march remained calm and orderly.
The action came just a day after Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun appealed to organizers to cancel the planned nationwide protest, which coincided with the newly designated National Police Day, observed for the first time on April 7.
In a statement released Sunday, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi described the timing of the protest as “ill-timed” and “unpatriotic,” suggesting it was intended to tarnish the image of the police and the nation.
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is questionable,” the statement read. “The Nigeria Police Force hereby advises the organizers to shelve the planned protest.”
However, the Take It Back Movement insisted on its constitutional right to peaceful assembly. National Coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu led the Lagos demonstration, with protesters continuing toward Ojota and Gani Fawehinmi Park, where Sanyaolu was expected to deliver an address.
The protest in Lagos is part of a broader nationwide movement demanding government accountability, economic reforms, and the protection of democratic freedoms.
