ActionAid Demands Immediate Release of Arrested Protesters and an End to Brutal Crackdown on Peaceful Citizens

ActionAid Demands Immediate Release of Arrested Protesters and an End to Brutal Crackdown on Peaceful Citizens

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately direct the Nigerian Police Force to end its reign of repression and ensure the unconditional release of all arrested citizens during the protest in parts of the country.

The organisation, through its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu said it is outraged by the shocking and violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Abuja, Port Harcourt and other parts of Nigeria on Monday, April 7, and Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

Mamedu said the protests, led by the Take-It-Back Movement, were driven by rising anger over the unlawful declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State; the misuse of the Cybercrime Act to silence dissent; and unbearable economic hardship plaguing Nigerians, insisting that these are legitimate grievances, not crimes. Yet, the government has responded with force, and arrests.

Mamedu added that “the directive issued by the Nigerian Police to stop the protest on the grounds of ‘National Police Day’ is outrageous, unconstitutional, and entirely unacceptable. The Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to peaceful assembly and expression and no police memo can override that. This attempt to suppress dissent is not only unlawful but also deeply cowardly.”

Mamedu noted that: ‘‘Rather than addressing the nation and engaging with young people, the Nigerian Police responded with tear gas and unlawful arrests of peaceful demonstrators. The President and the Nigerian Police must understand that citizens will not tolerate this abuse of power. It is a direct assault on democracy. How many more people does this government plan to arrest if millions take to the streets? Do they plan to crush every voice demanding a better future. The heavy-handed response to these protests dangerously mirrors the brutality of the now-defunct SARS unit.

“The Nigerian government must remember the events of the #EndSARS protests, when young Nigerians rose in unity to reject police violence and impunity. The citizenry will not allow the nation to take that path again. Now is the time for the President to engage in meaningful, public dialogue with protest leaders and civil societyorganisations to address the real issues behind these protests’’

ActionAid Nigeria demanded the: Immediate and unconditional release of all arrested protesters; An end to the use of force, intimidation, and tear gas against peaceful citizens; Full respect for the constitutional right to protest, speak, and assemble; and Immediate investigation and accountability for all acts of violence or abuse by security forces.”

ActionAid Demands Immediate Release of Arrested Protesters and an End to Brutal Crackdown on Peaceful Citizens