Protesters Storm Lagos Streets, Defy Police Orders Over Cybercrime, Rivers Crisis

In defiance of police warnings, determined protesters marched through Lagos on Monday to speak out against rising cybercrime and the looming fear of emergency rule in Rivers State.

The protest, championed by the Take It Back Movement (TIBM), kicked off under the busy Ikeja Under-Bridge and made its way toward the Lagos State Government House and State Assembly in Alausa. The demonstration, though met with heavy security, remained entirely peaceful.

This bold move came just a day after the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged all organizers to cancel the nationwide protest set for April 7 — the same day Nigeria officially marked its first National Police Day.

Police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi had described the timing of the protest as “ill-timed and unpatriotic,” suggesting it was intended to smear the image of the police force and the country.

Despite the warning, members of TIBM stood their ground, asserting their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. Led by National Coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu, the protesters continued marching through Alausa toward Ojota and Gani Fawehinmi Park, where Sanyaolu was scheduled to address the crowd.

Their message was clear: they will not be silenced.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: