Police fire tear gas at protesters of Rivers Emergency rule in Abuja

A peaceful protest in the Maitama district of Abuja turned chaotic on Monday as operatives of the Nigeria Police Force deployed tear gas to disperse demonstrators rallying against economic hardship and emergency rule in Rivers State.

Led by Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and convener of the Take It Back Movement (TIB), the protest drew scores of Nigerians demanding political accountability, economic reform, and an end to what they describe as creeping authoritarianism.

The air quickly became thick with tear gas, sending protesters scrambling for safety and disrupting what organizers had intended to be a non-violent march to the National Assembly.

“We informed the authorities ahead of time. We are exercising our constitutional rights, not breaking the law,” Sowore declared amid the confusion. “The police knew we were marching today. If they had a separate event, it doesn’t mean ours must be shut down.”

Sowore didn’t mince words, accusing the Tinubu administration of suppressing civil liberties while “enjoying luxuries abroad.”

“The Inspector General of Police, who is parading at Eagle Square today, is illegally occupying his position after overstaying his tenure. We will not remain silent. We are not just marching for ourselves—we are marching for every Nigerian suffering under this system,” he said.

The protest, part of a nationwide demonstration organized by the Take It Back Movement, also saw parallel gatherings in Lagos and Port Harcourt. TIB’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, outlined the group’s key demands: the immediate repeal of the Cybercrime Act and the termination of emergency rule in Rivers State, which he called “a veiled military dictatorship under President Bola Tinubu’s watch.”

“This is just the beginning,” Sanyaolu warned. “A storm of resistance is building. Soon, no force will be able to silence the Nigerian people.”

The protest coincided with the National Police Day celebration, marked by an official event at Eagle Square. The Nigeria Police Force had earlier urged organizers to cancel the protest and engage in dialogue with government institutions instead.

But for many of the demonstrators, dialogue is no longer enough.

“The same police officers brutalizing protesters are themselves victims of a broken system,” Sowore added. “It’s time the people and the police stood on the same side—for justice, for fairness, and for a better Nigeria.”