The Take-It-Back Movement, led by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, has vowed to proceed with a nationwide protest on June 12 in defiance of what it describes as escalating state repression and systemic violence across Nigeria.
In a statement issued by the group’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, the movement rejected the official June 12 celebrations, describing them as “hollow ceremonies and empty pageantry” that mask a deteriorating democracy.
“We will not participate in the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom where none exists,” the group declared. “Instead, we proclaim June 12 a National Day of Resistance — a day to rise against tyranny, injustice, and bad governance.”
The group said the ideals that June 12 once represented — democracy, freedom, and justice — have been systematically eroded by the very leaders who once promised change.
Democracy in decline
The statement lamented widespread democratic backsliding, warning that Nigeria is now witnessing the “collapse of hard-won freedoms.”
“Freedom of speech is under siege. Journalists are harassed, activists detained, and citizens arrested over social media posts,” the movement said.
“The Cybercrime Act has become a weapon for silencing dissent. Digital spaces are now policed by state agents who criminalise criticism and legitimate expression.”
Beyond civil liberties, the movement also pointed to the intensifying violence in rural communities, particularly in the Middle Belt.
“In Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, and other parts of the country, mass killings have become routine. Entire communities are wiped out while the state remains complicit — through inaction, negligence, or outright denial.”
According to the group, the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) continues to worsen, even as perpetrators of violence roam freely without accountability.
“This is not democracy. This is organised cruelty,” the statement asserted.
Call to action
The movement urged Nigerians to join its June 12 protests in honour of victims of insecurity, political repression, and economic hardship.
“This June 12, we march not just for ourselves, but for the slain in Benue, the displaced in Plateau, the silenced in detention, and the starving masses abandoned by a corrupt elite,” the statement concluded.
The protest is expected to take place across major cities, with the group calling on citizens to reject “official hypocrisy” and demand real democratic accountability.
