Security operatives on Monday used tear gas to disperse protesters in the Maitama district of Abuja, as demonstrators rallied against worsening economic conditions and the alleged misuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act.
Organized by the Take-It-Back Movement and several civil society groups, the protest drew attention to inflation, insecurity, and the political crisis in Rivers State. Protesters held signs bearing slogans like “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” as they marched through the Federal Capital Territory.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was among those who joined the demonstration. In a statement, Juwon Sanyaolu, National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, said the protest aimed to challenge what he described as the administration’s “increasing authoritarianism.”
Although police had earlier warned organizers to cancel the protest—labeling it “mischievous”—it proceeded until officers intervened with tear gas. As of press time, there were no confirmed reports of injuries or arrests, though the atmosphere remained tense.
The protest reflects growing public frustration over economic hardship and governance concerns across the country.
