ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and Amnesty International Nigeria have called for the immediate and unconditional release of protesters detained during the “Take it Back Movement” demonstrations that took place across Nigeria on Monday. Both organizations issued separate statements following the violent crackdown on the protests.
Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, expressed outrage over the aggressive response to peaceful protests in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other regions on April 7 and 8, 2025. He demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urgently instruct the Nigerian Police Force to cease the repression and ensure the immediate release of all detained individuals.
Mamedu highlighted that the protests, organized by the Take-It-Back Movement, were fueled by public anger over the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the misuse of the Cybercrime Act to suppress dissent, and the dire economic conditions faced by Nigerians. He insisted that these were legitimate grievances and not criminal actions. However, the government’s response involved excessive force and mass arrests.
“The directive from the Nigerian police to stop the protests on the grounds of ‘National Police Day’ is an outrageous, unconstitutional, and completely unacceptable move,” Mamedu stated. “The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and expression, and no police order can override that fundamental right. This is a blatant attempt to silence dissent, which is both unlawful and cowardly.”
He also condemned the Nigerian police’s use of tear gas and the unlawful detention of peaceful demonstrators, calling it a direct assault on democracy. “How many more people does this government plan to arrest if millions take to the streets? Do they intend to crush every voice calling for a better future?” Mamedu asked.
Mamedu compared the brutal response to the protests to the violent actions of the now-defunct SARS unit, urging the government to learn from the #EndSARS movement, when young Nigerians unified against police brutality. He called on President Tinubu to engage in genuine public dialogue with protest leaders and civil society organizations to address the root causes of the protests.
ActionAid Nigeria’s director demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters and an end to the use of force, intimidation, and tear gas against peaceful citizens.
Meanwhile, Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, condemned the attacks on journalists covering the protests. He called for a thorough, impartial investigation into the assault of two journalists—Charles Oporum of Channels Television and Ikezam Godswill of Africa Independent Television—by police officers in Port Harcourt. The journalists were physically assaulted and had their cameras confiscated, with police officers ordering them to delete video footage of the protests.
Sanusi emphasized that such attacks on journalists are unlawful and part of a dangerous pattern of police violence aimed at suppressing the free press. “The Nigerian authorities must take responsibility for these attacks and ensure journalists can do their jobs without fear of violence,” Sanusi stated.
He pointed out that Amnesty International has been documenting numerous instances of police mistreatment of journalists during protests, particularly during this recent wave of demonstrations. Journalists have reported being targeted with abusive language, physical aggression, and damage to their equipment.
Sanusi warned that these repeated assaults on journalists represent a broader effort by the government to silence dissent and restrict press freedom. “Journalists covering protests are not criminals. The ongoing violent attacks on them pose a growing threat to press freedom and violate both international human rights law and the Nigerian constitution,” he said.