A massive showdown is looming in Nigeria as protesters gear up for a one-million-man march today, Saturday, to demand an end to bad governance.
The 10-day protest, marred by violence and arrests, seeks to reverse fuel subsidy removal, increase minimum wage, and address governance issues.
Despite attempts to suppress the movement, protests persist in key states like Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, and Bauchi. Organizers vow to bring the country to a standstill, rejecting President Bola Tinubu’s appeal for calm.
Take It Back Movement’s Sanyaolu Juwon declared today’s protest a turning point, with simultaneous marches in all 36 states and Abuja. He demanded the immediate release of detained protesters and organizers, condemning their arrest as a gross human rights violation.
Security forces have intensified their presence, setting up roadblocks and deploying personnel to potential protest hotspots. Undeterred, protesters pledge to turn out en masse.
In Lagos, police are deployed at strategic bus stops, while Abuja’s Eagles Square is under heavy security surveillance.
As tensions escalate, protesters dare authorities, saying, “We’ll meet at the barricades.” Nigeria holds its breath as the protest unfolds.