Take-It-Back Movement Plans June 12 Protest Over Rising Killings

 The Take-It-Back (TIB) Movement, a Nigerian civil rights group, announced on June 1, 2025, its intention to hold a nationwide protest on June 12, 2025, Democracy Day, to demand action against escalating killings and insecurity.

The decision, made during a Lagos press conference led by coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu, follows a surge in violence, with 1,200 deaths reported in May 2025, including 208 in Mokwa’s flood-related chaos and 60 in Borno terrorist attacks. TIB criticized the government’s response, pointing to 40% food inflation and unemployment as drivers of crime, accusing President Tinubu’s administration of prioritizing politics over governance since his 2023 election.

The protest aims to honor victims, including slain university student Christianah Idowu, whose August 2024 murder sparked femicide debates, and press for policies like an electoral offenses tribunal and local government autonomy. TIB expects 50,000 participants across Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, planning peaceful marches to government offices, but faces resistance, as security agencies warned against “treasonous” acts after August 2024’s #EndBadGovernance protests, where 76 were charged with treason.

The group rejected claims of seeking regime change, insisting on constitutional rights to assemble, though past protests saw violence, with 20 injured in Kano. Sanyaolu urged youth to defy curfews, citing 70% youth unemployment as justification, but analysts warn of potential clashes, given 2024’s 1,000 protest-related arrests. Public sentiment is divided: 55% support TIB’s cause, per online polls, but others fear disruptions, recalling $10 million in damages from 2020’s #EndSARS. The protest highlights Nigeria’s governance crisis, with 34% inflation and 1.5 million displaced, underscoring demands for systemic reform.