Security around Abuja’s Aso Rock Presidential Villa was tightened Thursday morning ahead of a planned protest by activist Omoyele Sowore.
Anti-riot police in full gear blocked the main gates of the State House. Only people with official ID tags were allowed in, while others were turned back.
The heavy deployment followed Sowore’s announcement that he and the African Action Congress, along with the Take It Back Movement, would march from Eagle Square to the Villa at 8:00 a.m. He said they were demanding the release of 39 students and 7 teachers kidnapped May 15 from 3 schools in Oyo State, plus 42 pupils taken the same day in Borno State. Sowore gave President Tinubu an ultimatum: rescue the children or resign.
“You can’t be president and refuse to do the job of Commander-in-Chief. We’re not begging. It’s ironic that the number of police stopping this march could be used to protect our schools,” Sowore said.
The federal government responded Sunday by sending Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, the NSA, IGP, and Chief of Defence Staff to Oyo. Tinubu approved 1,000 new forest guards and a special rescue unit. He asked communities to cooperate as operations continue using “kinetic and non-kinetic” measures.
The abductions triggered a strike. The Nigeria Union of Teachers shut schools in Oyo indefinitely from June 1, and solidarity rallies were held nationwide June 2.
Sowore first threatened the march during an earlier FCT protest, warning that if schools remain unsafe, even security agents’ children could be targets.
