The Take It Back (TIB) Movement has formally notified the Lagos State Police Command of its planned protest on June 12, 2025, urging the authorities to protect—not persecute—peaceful demonstrators.
In an open letter dated Tuesday, the Lagos Coordinator of the movement, Adekunle Taofeek, addressed Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, requesting the police to uphold constitutional rights rather than suppress them. The protest, according to the organisers, is a response to Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship and growing insecurity.
“On June 12, 2025, the people of Nigeria, young and old, working class and unemployed, angry and awake, will take to the streets in peaceful protest against the unbearable insecurity and economic hardship that have strangled this nation,” Taofeek stated.
The letter, obtained by PUNCH Online, serves both as a public and formal notice of the demonstration, in line with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions on civic engagement.
“Protesting is not a request; it is a constitutional right,” Taofeek emphasised. “Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) grant every Nigerian the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. No law gives the police the power to crush or criminalise peaceful dissent.”
He warned against any attempt by security operatives to stifle the protest. “We demand that the Lagos State Police Command desist from any attempts to suppress, brutalise, or arrest peaceful protesters. Deploy officers to protect protesters, not to harass or assault them,” he wrote.
Taofeek further called on police officers to act with professionalism and restraint on the day. “We expect your men to behave professionally and with restraint,” the letter added.
The June 12 protest is symbolic for the movement and many Nigerians, as the date marks Nigeria’s Democracy Day—commemorating the annulled 1993 presidential election, widely considered the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. Businessman and politician, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, was presumed to have won the election before it was controversially annulled by then-military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Since 2018, the Nigerian government has recognised June 12 as Democracy Day, replacing the previous May 29 observance. This year also marks 26 years since the country transitioned from military rule to democratic governance in 1999.
As the June 12 date approaches, the TIB Movement has reiterated its commitment to peaceful protest while calling on authorities to respect democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.
