Organizers of the Take It Back movement have announced plans for a massive 10-million-person protest across all 36 states of Nigeria, following the conclusion of their recent 10-day series of demonstrations against economic hardships in the country.
The protests began on Thursday, August 1, and concluded on Saturday, August 10. Demonstrators took to the streets in Abuja and various other cities to call for the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy, reduction of electricity tariffs, and other reforms.
Throughout the demonstrations, protesters held placards and banners with messages such as “Reinstate a corruption-free fuel subsidy,” “Rent should be paid monthly,” and “Nigerians are weary of ineffective leadership.” Despite their ongoing presence, they expressed frustration with President Bola Tinubu’s apparent lack of responsiveness to their demands.
Activist Abiodun Sanusi, representing the protesters, announced that while the demonstrations will temporarily pause, they will return with an even larger and more determined movement if their concerns are not addressed. “We initially declared a 10-day period of rage to end poor governance in Nigeria. However, it is evident that President Bola Tinubu is not prepared to listen to Nigerians’ demands,” Sanusi stated. “Today marks the end of the 10 days of rage, but we assure the Nigerian government and President Tinubu that we will return, and our next march will involve 10 million people across Nigeria and the FCT.”
The nationwide protests, which were marked by violence, saw security forces using lethal measures against protesters and journalists in cities such as Abuja and Kaduna. The Nigerian Army has admitted to unintentionally causing the death of a teenage boy, Ismail Mohammed, during a protest in Zaria, Kaduna State.
