A peaceful protest in Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory turned chaotic on Monday as security forces fired tear gas, scattering demonstrators and leading to multiple arrests.
The protest, organized by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society groups, aimed to address pressing issues such as the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, rising economic hardship, and the political crisis in Rivers State.
Prominent activist Bosede Imanah and social critic Flagboy were among those arrested, with several individuals injured in the stampede caused by tear gas.
Human rights advocate and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore stood in solidarity with the demonstrators, expressing outrage over the police’s actions on social media.
The protest is part of a broader movement against bad governance and suppression of free speech, with the Take-It-Back Movement announcing a nationwide protest against what it calls the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, abuse of human rights, and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act”.
