The Lagos State Police Command has raised the alarm over an impending nationwide protest slated for April 7, 2025, issuing a sweeping security directive to all area commanders and tactical units across the state.
According to an intelligence circular obtained by SaharaReporters and signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tijani O. Fatai, the Command is responding to credible reports that certain groups—operating under the guise of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)—are plotting to mobilize mass action against the Federal Government.
The protest, spearheaded by the Take-It-Back (TIB) movement and other activist coalitions, aims to spotlight Nigeria’s worsening cost of living, suppression of civil liberties, and what organisers describe as a creeping descent into authoritarian rule under the Bola Tinubu administration.
“The intelligence report at the Command’s disposal reveals a plan by some subversive groups parading themselves as CSOs and other misguided anti-government elements to incite a nationwide protest on April 7, 2025,” the circular states.
“These groups have saturated social media platforms with provocative content aimed at winning public sympathy, discrediting the government, and galvanising public outrage,” it added.
The police expressed fears that criminal elements may hijack the protest to unleash violence, attack strategic installations, disrupt socio-economic activities, and target opposition leaders.
In response, the Lagos Commissioner of Police has ordered a massive show of force, directing officers to flood all identified protest flashpoints and critical infrastructure locations. A total lockdown plan will be executed to prevent what the police describe as “any untoward development before, during, and after the protest.”
According to the operation mandate, top convergence points expected to host protesters include:
Gani Fawehinmi Park
National Stadium
Labour House, Yaba
Lekki Toll Gate and Link Bridge
Ikeja Underbridge, Oshodi, Iyana Ipaja, Ajah, Berger, Falomo, Ojuelegba, and several other high-traffic zones.
Strategic national assets and government facilities—including the State Secretariat in Alausa, INEC offices, major police stations, the National Theatre, food warehouses, media houses, LASWA ferry terminals, and LAMATA bus stations—will also be heavily guarded.
Special Forces Mobilised for Protest Control
The operation will draw manpower from multiple elite units, including:
State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID), Yaba
Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Alausa
Anti-Bomb Squad
Police Mobile Forces (PMF) from Ikeja, Keffi, Ikorodu, and Epe
Counter Terrorism Unit
Special Protection Units
The Command’s mission is clear: prevent the protest from turning violent, safeguard lives and property, ensure free movement for non-protesters, and protect all critical assets in the state.
Protesters Demand End to Cybercrime Act, Military Rule in Rivers
Meanwhile, the TIB movement has confirmed that the April 7 protest is moving forward with full force. National Coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu declared that the demonstration will not only unfold in Abuja but also erupt simultaneously in key cities across all six geopolitical zones.
TIB is demanding the immediate repeal of the Cybercrime Act, which they claim has been weaponized to clamp down on dissenting voices—including journalists, social media critics, and opposition voices.
The group is also calling for the restoration of constitutional order in Rivers State, where a controversial “state of emergency” has paralyzed democratic institutions, including the State House of Assembly and the executive branch.
“Our protest is not just about the cost of living,” Sanyaolu stated. “It’s a stand against tyranny, censorship, and the militarization of civilian governance. What we’re witnessing in Rivers State is nothing short of military dictatorship under civilian clothing.”
As the nation inches closer to April 7, anxiety is mounting. While activists insist the protest will be peaceful, the Lagos Police Command is taking no chances, painting a picture of looming chaos unless the situation is tightly controlled.
Observers are now watching closely to see whether the security crackdown will deter the growing civil unrest or provoke an even greater wave of resistance from Nigeria’s increasingly emboldened activist community.
PIONEER NEWS 