A peaceful protest in Abuja demanding a review of the Cybercrime Act and relief from economic hardship was violently disrupted on Monday after security forces fired tear gas, scattering demonstrators and leading to multiple arrests.
The protesters arrested include activists Bosede Imanah and Flagboy.
The protest, organised by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society groups, was part of a nationwide demonstration against government policies, including the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, rising economic hardship, and the political crisis in Rivers State, which protesters described as a “state of emergency.”
Demonstrators had gathered in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), carrying placards with messages such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” when security personnel deployed tear gas, causing chaos as protesters fled for safety. SaharaReporters observed that several individuals were injured in the stampede.
Among those arrested were Bosede Imanah, a prominent activist, and Flagboy, a well-known social critic. Human rights advocate and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was also present at the protest, standing in solidarity with the demonstrators.
The Take-It-Back Movement had insisted that there was no going back on the scheduled nationwide protest set for Monday, April 7.
The protest, according to the group, aims to address what it describes as the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, abuse of human rights, and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.”
The protest is tagged: “Nationwide Protest Against Bad Governance and Suppression of Free Speech.”
The ignoble @PoliceNG officers were deployed and they attacked us during today’s #RepealTheCyberCrimeAct protest in Abuja. #EgbetokinMustGo #RevolutionNow pic.twitter.com/bJBkX0v1Oj
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) April 7, 2025
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