Police in Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub, say they are on high alert following intelligence reports of planned nationwide protests scheduled for Monday, April 7th. The directive has been issued to all commanders and officers within the state’s jurisdiction.
The planned demonstrations have been announced by the Take-It-Back movement, a civil society organisation, and other groups. Organisers say the protests aim to highlight concerns over the alleged misuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act and the ongoing situation in Rivers State, which they have labelled a “state of emergency.”
A statement from the Take-It-Back movement’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, outlined the core demands of the protest. These include the repeal of the Cybercrime Act and an end to what they describe as emergency rule in Rivers State, characterising it as a form of “military dictatorship” under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Protesters are also calling for the reinstatement of suspended government institutions in Rivers State, including the State House of Assembly and the Executive branch.
However, the Lagos State Police Command has stated that its intelligence indicates that “some groups operating under the guise of civil society organisations” are preparing to mobilise protests across Nigeria.
According to a police circular signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Tijani O. Fatai, the demonstrations are expected to draw attention to what organisers perceive as the prevailing high cost of living and government suppression of free speech.
The police circular warned that “criminals may want to seize the opportunity of the protest to cause mayhem, particularly to launch attacks on government facilities and opposition leaders to disrupt socio-economic activities in the State.”
As a result, the Commissioner of Police has ordered a number of security measures around critical infrastructure and other strategic locations throughout Lagos State “to forestall any untoward development before, during and after the proposed protest.”
The police operational order outlines a mission to ensure protests proceed without security incidents, to prevent hijacking by criminals, and to secure key locations identified as potential convergence points for demonstrators. These locations include Gani Fawehinmi Park, the National Stadium, Labour House in Yaba, and various underbridges and roundabouts across the city.
The police say they will also focus on securing critical infrastructure such as energy terminals, electoral commission offices, media houses, police facilities, government buildings, fuel stations, markets, hospitals, and transport hubs.
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