Take it Back: Police disperse protesters with tear gas in Port Harcourt
What began as a peaceful demonstration in Port Harcourt’s Isaac Boro Park on Monday morning quickly descended into chaos as officers of the Rivers State Police Command fired tear gas to disperse protesters rallying against the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
The protest, organized by the Take It Back Movement, condemned the emergency rule imposed following Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s suspension and the alleged weaponization of the Cybercrime Act by law enforcement agencies. Protesters gathered at the venue around 9 a.m., but the situation turned tense when police officers arrived and began dispersing the crowd.
“We are Rivers people, nobody can tell us where not to gather,” shouted one protester defiantly as the atmosphere thickened with tear gas and panic spread among the demonstrators.
Organizers claim they had duly notified the police of their intentions in a letter dated April 3, 2025. Despite this, several protesters, including journalists on the ground to cover the event, reported being beaten by officers during the crackdown.
The Port Harcourt protest is part of a broader wave of demonstrations springing up across Nigeria in response to growing concerns over the shrinking civic space and federal overreach. Similar rallies were held Monday in Lagos, Abuja, and several other state capitals.
President Bola Tinubu’s controversial declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, citing political instability, has sparked national debate and ignited a storm of civil resistance.
