ABUJA – June 12, 2025: A heavy security presence on Thursday morning blocked access to the National Assembly complex in Abuja, as operatives barricaded the main entrance to prevent protesters from gaining entry.
The protest, led by the Take It Back Movement in collaboration with various civil society organisations, was part of a coordinated nationwide demonstration to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day. The organisers said the protests aim to spotlight what they describe as “two years of misrule, hardship, and insecurity” under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Initially planned to hold at Eagle Square, the protest venue was shifted to the National Assembly, where President Tinubu is expected to address a joint session as part of the Democracy Day celebrations.
National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, insisted the change of location did not alter the message of the protest.
“That we earlier said the protest would hold at Eagle Square doesn’t mean Nigerians cannot assemble at the National Assembly to demand accountability,” Sanyaolu said on Wednesday. “The unprecedented hardship and insecurity we have experienced under this government are alarming. Nigerians will be turning out nationwide to protest, and the National Assembly is a legitimate venue for such demonstrations.”
When our correspondent arrived at the scene, a substantial number of security personnel—including officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force—were observed manning the gates. The entrance was sealed with metal barricades and a long truck, effectively denying access to protesters.
As of press time, the atmosphere around the National Assembly remained tense, with demonstrators gathered nearby under close watch by the security forces.
Democracy Day commemorates the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and is widely regarded as a symbol of the country’s democratic struggle.
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