Despite repeated warnings from security authorities, the Take It Back Movement this morning staged a peaceful protest in Lagos, coinciding with Nigeria’s National Police Day celebrations.
Clad in their signature orange berets, the protesters launched the rally from under the Ikeja Bridge, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with inscriptions such as:
“Any law that forbids us from speaking our truth against oppression in Nigeria is no longer a law but shackles of slavery.”
The protest drew attention due to its timing, as the Federal Government had declared April 7 as National Police Day to honour the service and resilience of officers across the country.
In a statement released earlier, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, expressed concern over the planned protest, saying:
“The Nigeria Police Force has read in the news that a group called the ‘Take It Back Movement’ is planning a protest across various states of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled to hold on Monday, 7th April 2025—a day earmarked by the Federal Government as National Police Day.”
While affirming that the police respect citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, Mr. Adejobi questioned the motive behind choosing such a symbolic date:
“The rationale behind staging a nationwide protest on the same day is questionable and perceived to be a deliberate, unpatriotic act that could tarnish and malign the image of the Nigerian Police and the nation as a whole.”
The statement urged would-be protesters to engage with relevant government agencies instead of taking to the streets.
Despite the warnings, the protest in Lagos remained peaceful, with no reports of violence or arrests at the time of filing this report.
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