Take It Back Movement: Protesters Defy IG’s Order, Converge at Ikeja Under-Bridge

LAGOS – Protesters from the Take It Back Movement (TIBM) has defied police warnings and gathered at the Ikeja Under-Bridge in Lagos to voice their concerns against cybercrime and the perceived threat of emergency rule in Rivers State.

The demonstration on Monday, which remained peaceful despite tight security, began at the Ikeja Under-Bridge and proceeded towards the Lagos State Government House and the State House of Assembly in Alausa.

The protest comes a day after the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged organizers to cancel the planned nationwide protest, citing the newly designated National Police Day on April 7, 2025.

In a statement released on Sunday, Police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi described the protest as “ill-timed” and perceived it as “a deliberate and unpatriotic act aimed at maligning the image of the Nigeria Police and the nation as a whole.”

However, the Take It Back Movement insisted on their right to peaceful assembly, with National Coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu leading the procession toward Alausa, en route to Ojota and Gani Fawehinmi Park.

“We will not be swayed by the police’s call to cancel the protest,” the group’s stance implies, as they continue to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression.

PUNCH