The Nigeria Police Force has issued a warning to the Take it Back Movement( TIB) over its plans to embark on a nationwide protest scheduled for April 7.
Reports gathered by NaijaEyes correspondents reveal that the civil society organisation in collaboration with other groups have concluded its plans to stage a nationwide protest today, April 7.
According to the National Coordinator of TIB, Juwon Sanyaolu, the protest is aimed at addressing issues surrounding the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
However, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Police, told the organizers to “shelve this planned protest as it is ill-timed and mischievous” in a statement released on Sunday.
According to Adejobi, the Federal Government has designated the specified date as National Police Day in order “to celebrate the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The statement reads “While not against the exercise of citizens right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned about the motive behind such protest scheduled on the same day the contributions of the Nigeria Police Force to national security is to be celebrated, putting into consideration that such glamorous event would bring together dignitaries from all spheres of life both internationally and within the country, including Foreign Inspectors-General of Police and Diplomats.
“The Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, while reaffirming the commitment of the NPF to adequately carrying out its mandate in accordance with the Law and respect for rights of citizens hereby urges all the organizers of the planned protest as well as individuals who intend to join the protest to pursue dialogue by engaging the proper institution of government to press home their demands,”
The police have revealed that its officers are on high alert in anticipation of the nationwide demonstration, citing that it had deployed its personnel in strategic locations.
The organisers of the protest have also stated that they are prepared for any form of oppression from the Nigeria police, revealing that they will converege at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Juwon Sanyaolu the National Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement in an interview revealed that they will not backdown on the planned demonstration adding, that plans were in place to maintain a peaceful demonstration.
He said, “Interestingly, you’ll discover that Nigerians are fed up. Recently, we saw the beginning of a 30-day challenge by Nigerians to express their frustrations about the government of the day,”
“We do realise Nigeria is supposed to operate a democracy even though most of the rulers are tyrants. As such, we will not be deterred by threats of clampdown, knowing that the laws of the land still guarantee our right to protest. We will surely exercise it, in defence of our dying democracy,”
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