Protesters under the umbrella of Take It Back Movement have taken to the streets of Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt to demand the repeal of the Cybersecurity Act and cancellation of the State of Emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State. The demonstrations, which began early Monday morning, saw protesters dressed in their trademark orange berets gathering at designated rally points, chanting slogans, and singing solidarity songs.

In Lagos, protesters gathered at Ikeja Under Bridge, while their counterparts in Abuja converged on Eagle Square. However, the Abuja protest was disrupted when police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. The protesters are criticizing the Cybersecurity Act for its provisions, which they claim are used to target opposition voices, journalists, and ordinary citizens expressing opinions online.

Juwon Sanyaolu, national coordinator of Take It Back Movement, stated that the core demands of the protesters include repealing the Cybercrime Act and ending emergency rule in Rivers State, which the group describes as “a form of military dictatorship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration”. This development comes amid growing criticism of the emergency rule, with some Nigerians in diaspora also condemning the move and vowing to take further action, including protests in major US cities.

The Nigeria Police had warned against the timing and intent of the protest in a press release on Sunday, urging demonstrators to stay off. Despite this, the protesters remain resolute in their demands for change.