Organisers of the planned June 12 Democracy Day protest have formally requested protection from the Lagos State Police Command to ensure the safety of demonstrators during the march.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Moshood Jimoh, the Take It Back (TIB) Movement — the group behind the protest notified the police of its intention to hold a peaceful demonstration, urging the Command to uphold the constitutional rights of protesters.
The Lagos State Coordinator of the TIB, Adekunle Taofeek, who signed the letter dated Tuesday, June 10, 2025, described the correspondence as both a formal and public notice in line with civic responsibility and constitutional provisions.
“On June 12, 2025, the people of Nigeria — young and old, employed and unemployed — will take to the streets in peaceful protest against the worsening insecurity and economic hardship that have crippled the nation,” the letter read.
Taofeek reiterated that the protest is grounded in constitutional rights, specifically citing Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“Protesting is not a privilege; it is a constitutional right,” he said. “No provision of the law empowers the police to suppress or criminalise peaceful dissent.”
He further urged the police to act with professionalism and restraint, warning against any attempt to intimidate, harass, or arrest peaceful demonstrators.
“We demand that officers be deployed to protect protesters — not to brutalise or assault them,” the letter stated. “We expect your men to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their role in a democratic society.”
The June 12 protest is scheduled to coincide with Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration — a day commemorating the annulled 1993 presidential election, widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola. The day has since become symbolic of Nigeria’s democratic struggle and is officially recognised by the Federal Government.
This year’s anniversary also marks 26 years since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
