After ‘Hunger Protest,’ Activists Return With ‘Take-It-Back’ Demonstration
Conveners of the 2024 Hunger Protest, which swept across different parts of the country, are working on organizing another demonstration called Take-It-Back (TIB).
Flyers promoting the protest have been circulating on social media, with #April7Protest trending on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The National Coordinator of the protest, Juwon Sanyaolu, in an interview with Punch newspaper, stated that the nationwide demonstration, slated for April 7, is “practically for the repeal of the Cybercrime Act.”
According to him, the Act, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu last February, has been used as a tool to suppress free speech.
“It involves the question of how the Cybercrime Act is being used to suppress free speech. And as you know, journalists and activists are usually the victims of both the Cybercrime Act and suppression of free speech, including social media users—people like SeaKing and others,” Sanyaolu told Punch.
However, the protest will also serve as a platform to address the ongoing state of emergency in Rivers State, imposed by President Tinubu, which resulted in the suspension of the elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, and the entire House of Assembly.
“We are also calling for an end to the emergency rule in Rivers State, or as we like to put it, the imposition of military rule in Rivers State by the government of (President Bola) Tinubu. We are demanding its reversal and the full reinstatement of all suspended organs of government—the State House of Assembly, the Executive, and all,” the activist added.
It remains unclear whether Nigerians will heed the call for the protest.
