The Nigeria Police Force used tear gas to disperse protesters in the Maitama area of Abuja on Monday. The protesters, who were part of a nationwide demonstration led by the Take-It-Back Movement, were expressing grievances over several national issues.
The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” were marching peacefully through the streets of the Federal Capital Territory before the police intervention.
The demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to concerns such as the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, the worsening economic hardship in the country, and what the organizers described as a “state of emergency” in Rivers State.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was also present at the protest ground to show solidarity with the movement.
The National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, had earlier stated that the protest was aimed at resisting what he termed the “increasing authoritarianism” of the current administration and to demand urgent relief for Nigerians battling inflation and insecurity.
As of the time of filing this report, there were no reports of injuries or arrests, but the atmosphere remains tense.