The Take It Back Movement has called on Nigerians to join a nationwide protest on August 5, tagged the “Festival of the Oppressed,” over issues including insecurity, high cost of living, alleged repression, and shrinking democratic space under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, the group said the demonstration would serve as a platform for citizens to voice their grievances regarding the country’s socio-economic and political challenges.
The movement highlighted persistent insecurity, noting that many Nigerians remain in captivity while communities in states such as Borno, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Oyo, Kaduna, and Benue face ongoing attacks. “Nigeria is bleeding.
Across every region of the country, ordinary people are paying the price for the failures of those in power,” the statement read.
It also criticised the rising cost of living, linking it to the 2023 fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluation, which have driven inflation and made basic necessities unaffordable for millions.
The group accused the government of using the Cybercrime Act to suppress dissent, alleging harassment and prosecution of journalists, activists, students, and others exercising free speech.
It further condemned what it described as political persecution and called for better wages for Nigerian workers, including a ₦500,000 national minimum wage.
Other demands include improved security and rescue of kidnap victims, release of political detainees, repeal of the Cybercrime Act, withdrawal of charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, removal of certain officials, and protection of Nigerians abroad from xenophobic attacks.
Describing the event as more than a protest, the movement said it would bring together workers, students, professionals, traders, farmers, and other citizens whose voices have been ignored.
It urged peaceful mobilisation across the country, stating, “Our demands are just. Our rights are non-negotiable. Our future must be reclaimed. Enough is enough.”