Organisers of the planned nationwide protest scheduled for 12 June have declared that Nigerians across the country are fully mobilised and prepared to take to the streets.
On June 2, 2025, announced that June 12, 2025, would be a national day of protest in Nigeria.
The civil rights campaigner movement decries the escalating insecurity, press attacks, and economic hardship faced by Nigerians across the country
Speaking exclusively to The New Daily Prime, National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement (TIBM), Juwon Sanyaolu, cited rising public frustration over worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and governance failures.
“So as we announced, the protests will be happening across the states of the federation, including the FCT, So, and I can assure that Nigerians are sufficiently mobilised, both online and offline, will be storming the streets to protest the complete breakdown in democratic governance in the country”, he said.
Sanyaolu further stated that with regard to security provisions, it is not the responsibility of protesters to provide security for themselves, but rather the duty of the police.
Protest has gained wide awareness
He urged Nigerian security agencies to carry out their duties under the law.
“So that is the job of the police and is the reason the taxpayers are funding the police to provide that security for protesters who are exercising their constitutional rights to protest. Anything outside of that will be criminal and we prepare to challenge them or its whole all lawful means at our disposal.
“I would say that indeed the protest has gained wide awareness amongst Nigerians who are at home and abroad. So I would acknowledge that with us are over 133 million Nigerians that are languishing in abject poverty, thousands of students that are victims of fear, many of them drop out, and those who are going to be indebted by the egregious student loan scam, I like to call it a scam, not a scheme.”
Sanyaolu further stated that Nigerians are firmly standing behind TIBM, including thousands displaced by regional insecurity across the country, approximately 460,000 in Benue State and over 60,000 in Plateau State.
He added that Nigeria has effectively become a crime scene, stressing that citizens are victims of oppression, with millions expressing solidarity with the movement.
“We are going to be marching tomorrow in protest. I think that will be my conclusion for now. Thank you. Yeah, in Lagos, we’ll be marching. I will be marching for Maryland, although I will acknowledge that there are various protest locations that we have announced in Lagos, but I’ll be marching for Maryland,” he said.
