LAGOS – The Take It Back Movement is gearing up for a nationwide June 12 protest in Nigeria, signaling a clear rejection of official Democracy Day festivities. The group points to a troubling landscape of rising insecurity, deepening economic hardship, and a narrowing space for civic voices as reasons for their planned action. Juwon Sanyaolu, the movement’s National Coordinator, is spearheading the call.
Sanyaolu framed the protest as a critical moment for Nigerians to rise and demand accountability from their leaders. “This June 12, we march not just for ourselves, but for the slain in Benue, the displaced in Plateau, the silenced in detention, and the starving masses abandoned by a corrupt elite,” he passionately declared. The Take It Back Movement didn’t mince words, condemning what it sees as government failure in the face of relentless attacks in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna. The group alleges that entire communities have been devastated, with the state appearing complicit through “inaction, negligence, or outright denial.”
Defying the Ban: A Call for Nationwide June 12 Protest
Despite an existing ban on public protests issued by the Nigeria Police, the Take It Back Movement is resolute in its plans. Demonstrations are slated for state capitals across the country and the Federal Capital Territory. Sanyaolu issued a broad appeal, urging workers, students, civil society organizations, artisans, and Nigerians living abroad to join in what he stressed would be a peaceful June 12 protest.
“There’s no going back on June 12,” Sanyaolu asserted, casting the planned demonstrations as a moral imperative in a nation grappling with widespread suffering and perceived state failure. He painted a grim picture of the Middle Belt, where he said killings have become tragically routine and those responsible often escape justice. “Lives are snuffed out without consequences… This is not a democracy. This is organised cruelty,” he stated.
By Abdullah Korede
