Youths in different states on Monday thronged the streets to express their displeasure over Cybercrime Act, Rivers State crisis, among others despite a series of warnings and security alerts issued by the authorities of the Nigerian police on Sunday that protesters should shelve their idea.

The protest, which was organised by the Take-it-Back movement over alleged misuse of the Act by the government through the police, started as early as 8:00 in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Edo.

Daily Trust reports that the protest coincided with the National Police Day – the day set aside and scheduled by the federal government for its maiden edition, which was held at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

The group had earlier explained that it called for a nationwide demonstration to address what they described as the “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu administration, abuse of human rights, and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.”

Juwon Sanyaolu, the coordinator of the movement noted that their core demands of the protest include: the repeal of the Cybercrime Act; the end of emergency rule in Rivers State, which he described as a form of military dictatorship under Tinubu’s administration; among others.

In Abuja during the protest, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, who doubles as the leader of the movement, and Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, were seen leading the protest, and resisted attempts of police officers to take them off the streets.

The demonstrators wielded placards with different inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression”, “Let Us Breathe,” among others as they marched through the streets of the Federal Capital Territory.

Our correspondent, who monitored the development in the nation’s capital, reports that as the protesters were advancing to Eagle Square, venue for the National Police Day, they were teargassed and dispersed by stern-looking security operatives.

Earlier before Monday, police authorities had condoned off some roads leading to the Eagle Square with Armoured Personnel Carrier while security operatives, who have been put on red alert conducted thorough security checks before granting access.

In the oil-rich Rivers State, the Take-It-Back protest took a turn when officers of the Rivers State Command opened teargas canisters on the protesters in a bid to disperse them.

Organisers and supporters of the movement, Civil Society Organisations, and Niger Delta Congress had gathered at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, only to be met with resistance from operatives of the Rivers State Police Command.

The policemen, however, asked them to leave for another venue. Still undeterred, the protesters began singing solidarity songs and started marching inside the park and proceeded outside towards the popular Aba Express Road.

When the protesters reached the CFC junction, the armed anti-riot policemen intercepted them again and ordered them to vacate the street, an order which they defied again.

Immediately, the policemen fired tear gas canisters, which sent the various groups protesting scattering for safety.

Don’t vandalise public property, FG warns

Meanwhile, the federal government cautioned the youths against destroying public property.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, called on the youths to protest gently and go ahead to speak their minds

Speaking after the 2025 Annual Management Conference of the National Youth Service Corps, he said destruction of government infrastructure that will affect the nation’s economy will not be tolerated.

“Everyone has the right to protest. If I even have the time, I will go and join the protest,” he said, adding that no government has stopped anyone from protesting and pouring out their grievances, they will be listened to and be addressed.

“I will be there to address them if I even have the time,” he said.

Lagos Assembly shut

In Lagos, a group of protesters were seen with placards in Ikeja, capital of the state after they had converged under the Bridge at Ikeja before 8am amid heavy security presence.

The deployment, which was at the instance of the State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, saw police operatives and vehicles mounted at strategic locations.

Specifically, hundreds of young Nigerians defied police directives as they took to the streets of Lagos to demand an end to bad governance, police oppression and infringement of free speech through the Cybercrime Law.

Our correspondents report that the presence of the policemen was to ensure that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums who may be out to rob and unleash mayhem on innocent members of the public.

The protesters took off around 8.30am, and marched through Awolowo Way with banners, to the State House of Assembly in Alausa.

At the Assembly complex, the policemen led by the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations, Fatai Tijani, barred the protesters access into the complex.

The group’s national coordinator, Sanyaolu, said the protest was peaceful but described the block into the house as an obstruction to their democratic right to engage their representatives.

“We are here for a peaceful protest but this is an obstruction to democratic rights. I don’t know you as a lawless person,” he told the policemen.

The police officer with the name Tijani Fatai addressed them, saying that the protesters have limited access into where they can enter at the state house of assembly.

Addressing journalists, the command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, a Chief Superintendent of Police confirmed that not a single teargas canister was fired nor any weapon used by security forces throughout the protest.

Edo

The story was not different in Benin, Edo State capital, where large numbers of protesters besieged the state House of Assembly, arguing that the Cybercrime Act was meant to suppress the freedom of expression.

Speaking to journalists during the protest, Comrade Afiz Lawal, maintained that the Act was meant to muzzle Nigerians and forbid them to speak truth to power.

According to him, there are a lot of issues, such as economic woes and insecurity that need attention but instead of addressing them, they are busy talking of cybercrime Act.

He urged the federal government to channel their energy on those things that will benefit the masses rather than trying to suffocate them with the Act.

On his part, the coordinator, Talakawa Parliament (TP), Comrade Kola Edokpayi, said the Cyber Crime Act is to silence the citizens and prevent them from enjoying rights to freedom of speech as enshrined in the Constitution.

Osun

Some protesters, under the banner of  ‘Take It Back Movement’ on Monday, marched through the streets of Osogbo, Osun, calling for repeal of the cybercrime law.

The handful of protesters, who joined the nationwide protest called by its national body, were seen matching through some streets of Osogbo, accompanied by police officers.

The protesters carried banners that read; Repeal the Cyber Crime Act, The Cyber Crime Act has made Nigerian Civil Populace unsafe, End Bad Governance among others.

Speaking to journalist at the Olaiya Junction/Flyover, the Osun Coordinator of Take It Back Movement, Lijofi Victor, said they were out because of the cybercrime law passed by Senate.

“We are out today because of the recent Cybercrime Act. We are against it because we want our freedom of speech.

“Many people had been imprisoned because they are speaking up, which we are saying no to.

“Mr President himself has led series of protests and has talked and critised certain things, but right now they want to silence us, which we are saying no to.

“We are not going to accept that until when he’s ready to change it.

“Help us to remove the cyber Act and give us the freedoms of speech that we want.

“We want to speak out, we don’t want anybody to imprison us, we want to have freedom of our speech,” he said.

Victor added that lots of journalists, security agents and civilians have been arrested across the country because they spoke up.

He said that freedom of speech or expression should not be taken from Nigerians

“Now they are bringing an act that will back it up so they can jail us? We are saying no to it.

“We converged here at Olaiya, marched through station road, Oja oba and back to Olaiya.

“We will continue the protest as long as they are not ready to listen to us,” he said.

By Idowu Isamotu, Maureen Onochie (Abuja) Eugene Agha, Dotun Omisakin (Lagos) & Usman Bello (Benin)