Protesters have taken to the streets of Abuja and Lagos despite repeated warnings from the police. 

The demonstrations, organised by the Take It Back Movement, are underway in several parts of the country.

In Abuja, activist and movement leader Omoyele Sowore was joined by Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, as they led demonstrators in defiance of police efforts to disperse them.

In Lagos, a group of protesters was seen with placards in Ikeja, the state capital, continuing their march.

However, in Rivers State, protest efforts were short-lived. Organisers who had gathered at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt were met with teargas from security operatives before the protest could gain momentum.

The Nigeria Police Force had earlier issued a strong statement condemning the protest’s timing, as it coincided with National Police Day, newly designated by the federal government to honour officers of the Force.

ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, in a statement on Sunday, said the protest “appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Nigeria Police and, by extension, the nation.”