Security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday forcefully dispersed peaceful protesters in Abuja using tear gas, escalating tensions around a nationwide demonstration led by civil society groups.

The protesters had converged in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory as part of a coordinated nationwide action organized by the Take-It-Back Movement and allied civil society organisations. The march aimed to highlight deepening economic hardships, increasing repression under the Cybercrime Act, and the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

Eyewitnesses reported that police fired multiple rounds of tear gas canisters into the crowd shortly after the protest began, causing chaos and forcing demonstrators to flee. Despite the disruption, some regrouped, chanting slogans and holding placards with bold inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe.”

Among those in attendance was human rights advocate and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, who joined the protest to show solidarity and denounce what he described as “systematic efforts to silence dissent in Nigeria.”

In a statement released ahead of the protest, Take-It-Back Movement’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, condemned the alleged authoritarian tendencies of the current administration. “This protest is a call for urgent attention to the suffering of Nigerians, from skyrocketing inflation to rising insecurity. We are also rejecting the misuse of legal tools to stifle free speech,” he said.

The protest is one of several planned across the country, as civil society groups ramp up pressure on the federal government to respect citizens’ rights and implement tangible economic reforms.

There has been no official statement from the police at the time of filing this report.