The nationwide protest called by the Take-it-Back Movement against economic hardship and the recent emergency rule in Rivers State did not take place in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, THE WHISTLER correspondent reports.
Checks show that security vehicles were stationed in strategic locations within Uyo, the state capital, while the police moved around in a convoy of vehicles to preempt any action by protesters.
Some of the residents who spoke with THE WHISTLER said they were not aware of any call for protest, adding that they prefer dialogue to any confrontation with the authorities.
Okon Etim, a 27-year-old commercial motorcyclist, said any protest could result in violent confrontations, adding, “Let us sit down and dialogue over the current hardship.”
The police authorities had earlier warned against ill-timed protests across the country.
“The Nigeria Police Force has read in the news that a group called the “Take it Back Movement” is planning a protest across various states of the Federation, most especially the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled to be held on Monday, 7th April, 2025, a day earmarked by the Federal Government as the National Police Day, to celebrate the resilience and dedication of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
“While not against the exercise of citizens’ right to peaceful assembly and association in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned about the motive behind such a protest,” the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement.
The protests coincided with the National Police Day celebration on April 7 in other parts of the country.
