Attempts by members of the Take-It-Back Movement and allied civil society groups to submit a letter of demands at the Lagos State Assembly were thwarted on Monday as police operatives blocked their access to the complex.
The protesters, who had initially gathered at the Ikeja Under Bridge, were advocating against various national issues, including the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the state of emergency imposed in Rivers State.
Holding placards with bold inscriptions, they marched towards the assembly complex, only to be met with a barricade set up by armed security personnel a few meters from the entrance.
Undeterred, the demonstrators stood their ground, insisting that they would not leave without delivering their letter. However, after waiting for nearly two hours without any official engagement, frustration grew among the group.
Speaking to the press, the national coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, condemned the security operatives’ actions, arguing that the blockade was an infringement on their rights.
He stated, “The policemen are preventing us from accessing the house of assembly. It is the people’s assembly, so why are they blocking it? They are impeding our constitutional rights to movement, peaceful assembly, and protest.”
Sanyaolu further raised concerns over reports of protesters being arrested in various states where similar demonstrations took place.
“Currently, protesters have been arrested in Abuja after they were violently dispersed. We are calling for the immediate release of the protesters arrested in Abuja, Yobe, Gombe and Rivers States. This is a warning action and we are going back to remobilise. By the time we get back in August, we will shake the entire country and the entire world,” he declared.
Among the protesters’ key demands are an end to the Cybercrime Act, the reversal of the emergency rule in Rivers State, a halt to the demolition of homes in Oworonshoki and other areas in Lagos, and the release of individuals facing treason charges following the #EndBadGovernance protest.
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