Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Abuja on Thursday, defying a court order that sought to restrict their planned protests against the Nigerian government. The protesters, operating under the banner of the ‘Take It Back Movement’, marched towards Eagle Square carrying placards with messages such as “Hunger is enough” and “End bad governance in Nigeria”.
The demonstrations come despite a ruling by Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.
The court had ordered that the August 1 protest be confined to the MKO Abiola Stadium, following an ex-parte application by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Emmanuel Larry, an FCT resident who participated in the protest, explained his motivation for joining the demonstration. “Hunger has brought me out, I don’t have money to buy fuel,” Larry stated. “I don’t have money to buy whatever, there is total bad governance.”
Larry insisted that contrary to rumors of cancellation, the protests would continue as planned from August 1 to August 10.
“The government has used propaganda and fake news to tell you that the protests have been cancelled,” he said.
“The protests have not been cancelled, we are on the street. It is for 10 days. If our demands are not being met, we will remain on the streets,” he added.
The Explainer learned, the protesters initially gathered at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium before marching towards Eagle Square, highlighting issues such as hunger, insecurity, and poor housing conditions as their primary concerns.
The protesters’ defiance of the court order underscores the depth of their grievances and their determination to have their voices heard.
