The Take It Back Movement has announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on June 12 to raise awareness about the deteriorating security situation, shrinking civic space, and escalating economic hardship in Nigeria.
In a statement released by its National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, on Monday, the movement said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to what it termed the government’s failure to address these pressing issues.
Sanyaolu made it clear that the movement rejects the official celebrations marking Democracy Day, calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful protest. He urged workers, students, civil society groups, artisans, and members of the diaspora to join in solidarity.
“We march not just for ourselves, but for the slain in Benue, the displaced in Plateau, the silenced in detention, and the starving masses abandoned by a corrupt elite,” the statement said.
Despite the ban on public protests by the Nigeria Police, the Take It Back Movement insists that the protest will go ahead across state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory. The movement’s leadership remains resolute, emphasising that there is no turning back.
The movement condemned the rising wave of insecurity, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern Nigeria, pointing to ongoing attacks in states like Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna.
Sanyaolu expressed outrage over the lack of action from the government, stating, “In Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, and across the Middle Belt, mass killings continue with terrifying frequency. Lives are snuffed out without consequences. Internally displaced persons multiply, while perpetrators roam free. The bloodletting has become a routine, and the state remains complicit, through its inaction, negligence, or outright denial.”
He further accused the government of neglecting the plight of displaced persons and failing to address the growing humanitarian crisis. “This is not a democracy. This is organised cruelty,” he declared, highlighting the movement’s dissatisfaction with the state of governance.
Naijaonpoint reports that Sanyaolu also criticised the federal government for its alleged crackdown on dissent. He pointed to the arrests of protesters, the detention of activists, and the targeting of journalists and social media users under the Cybercrime Act as part of a broader attempt to silence opposition and curb democratic expression.
“Across the federation, the signs of democratic collapse are unmistakable. Democracy, which was won through struggle, sweat, and blood, has been dismantled by the very forces that once promised change,” he said.
He further accused the government of weaponising the Cybercrime Act to criminalise free expression and silence legitimate criticism, stating that agents of the government are now monitoring the digital footprints of dissenters.
“Freedom of speech is under attack. The state has turned on its citizens with an unrelenting campaign of intimidation and censorship. Journalists are harassed, activists are detained, and citizens are arrested for social media posts,” he lamented.
In closing, Sanyaolu reiterated the urgency of the protest, calling for unity and a collective effort to push back against the government’s policies. He emphasised that Nigeria’s current trajectory, marked by violence, political repression, and economic hardship, demands urgent action.