Inspector General of Police Orders Organizers of August 1 Protest to Submit Details

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has instructed the organizers of the August 1–10 protests to submit their details to the commissioners of police in their respective states.

Egbetokun made this announcement while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday. This directive follows a request from human rights activist Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who had notified the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) seeking protection for the Take It Back Movement.

Egbetokun emphasized the importance of submitting these details to ensure a peaceful protest. He stated, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest. However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place."

To ensure a smooth and incident-free protest, organizers are asked to provide the following information: proposed protest routes and assembly points, expected duration of the protest, and names and contact details of protest leaders and organizers.

Additionally, the DSS claimed on Thursday to have uncovered plans by some individuals to hijack the planned protest. DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya stated, “The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments, make them unpopular, and pit them against the masses.”

Read more