The clock is ticking as April 7 approaches, with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) ringing alarm bells regarding a planned protest organized by the Take It Back Movement (TIB) and associated groups. Their call? To reconsider and ultimately shelve the demonstration, citing its unfortunate overlap with National Police Day, a significant event earmarked by the Federal Government to recognize the unfaltering dedication of police officers across Nigeria.
The NPF is apprehensive about what they term an 'ill-timed' event, which they say could cast a shadow over the celebrations honoring police resilience. This day holds particular importance, with an entourage of international dignitaries and foreign Inspectors-General of Police expected to grace the occasion. The concern from the police comes amid rising tensions regarding the proposed protest, which aims to address public grievances related to the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the controversial state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi did not mince words when he questioned the motives of organizing the protest on this particular day. 'It seems mischievous,' he noted, underscoring the event's potential to detract from the national acknowledgment of the police force's contributions. While recognizing that citizens undeniably have a constitutional right to peaceful assembly, Adejobi emphasized that the intentions behind the protest could be interpreted as an affront to the goodwill that the National Police Day symbolizes.
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun echoed these sentiments, advocating for a paradigm shift from confrontation to constructive dialogue. He pointed to global practices where police institutions are lauded for their roles in maintaining national security and reiterated the NPF's unwavering commitment to upholding the law alongside citizens' rights. Egbetokun passionately called on protest organizers to engage in meaningful dialogue with government bodies as a constructive way forward, rather than potentially disrupting the memorial day celebrations.
The NPF's stance underscores a broader call for mutual respect and cooperation between the public and policing bodies. As the tense atmosphere unfolds, all eyes are on the TIB and allied movements to see how they will respond to the police's appeal—and whether dialogue may pave the way for resolving underlying issues without diminishing the significance of the upcoming National Police Day.
Comments
J Mavrikos
The police are trying to frame this as disrespect, but protest isn't about timing-it's about urgency. When laws are weaponized and states of emergency are declared without transparency, people don't get to pick a convenient day to speak up.
They're using National Police Day as a shield to silence dissent. That’s not respect-that’s manipulation.
naresh g
Interesting. So, if a protest coincides with a national holiday, it’s automatically ‘mischievous’? What if the holiday itself is a performative gesture? The police are being honored while people are being arrested under the Cybercrime Act for posting memes.
Let’s not confuse symbolism with substance. The day is a celebration; the protest is a demand. Two different things.
Brajesh Yadav
THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!!! 😤
They’re trying to shut down justice because it’s inconvenient?! 😡
Police Day? More like Police PR Day. 🤡
When will they learn that silence isn’t peace-it’s surrender?! 🇳🇬✊
Govind Gupta
There’s a quiet tension here, isn’t there? On one hand, we honor those who serve under dangerous conditions; on the other, we’re forced to question the systems they uphold.
It’s not about choosing one over the other-it’s about demanding that both can coexist. The police aren’t enemies. But neither are the people.
Maybe the real celebration would be a day where both sides sit down, without cameras, without press releases, and just… listen.
tushar singh
I get why they’re nervous. But fear shouldn’t silence truth.
Let’s remember-police officers are also sons, daughters, brothers, sisters. Many of them are just doing their job under broken systems.
Maybe instead of canceling the protest, we could ask: what if we turned this into a day of dialogue? Peaceful march in the morning, community town hall in the afternoon.
That’s the kind of Nigeria I want to see.
Damini Nichinnamettlu
How dare they protest on National Police Day? This is not the West. We don’t disrespect our institutions. The police protect us from chaos. You think they don’t suffer? You think they don’t bleed?
Instead of shouting, go volunteer. Help clean a station. Donate blood. That’s real patriotism.
Protest? No. Disrespect? Yes.
Vinod Pillai
They’re using the Cybercrime Act to jail students for tweets. That’s not law. That’s tyranny. And now they want to cancel protest because it’s ‘ill-timed’? LOL.
When you criminalize speech and then cry foul when people react-you’re not the victim. You’re the problem.
Stop pretending this is about respect. It’s about control.
Avantika Dandapani
I just want to say-I’ve seen police officers cry after arresting a 16-year-old for posting something online.
They’re trapped too. Some of them know it’s wrong. But they’re told to follow orders.
Maybe the protest isn’t against the police… it’s against the machine that made them do this.
Let’s not hate the hands. Let’s fix the wrist.
Ayushi Dongre
The institutionalization of commemoration often functions as a mechanism of ideological containment. When the state designates a day to honor its coercive apparatus, it implicitly constructs a moral hierarchy wherein dissent becomes not merely inconvenient, but ethically suspect.
Yet, constitutional rights are not contingent upon calendar alignment. The right to assemble does not expire on ceremonial occasions.
It is not disrespect to demand accountability-it is the very essence of civic maturity.
rakesh meena
Protest isn’t rude. Silence is.
Let them march.
They’ve earned it.
sandeep singh
These protesters are traitors. National Police Day is sacred. You think your little grievance matters more than the men who died holding the line? You’re not fighting for justice-you’re fighting for chaos.
And if you think the police are the enemy, you’ve never been robbed. You’ve never been hurt. You’ve never needed them.
Get real.
Sumit Garg
Did you notice how they mentioned ‘international dignitaries’? That’s the real clue. This isn’t about respect-it’s about optics. The government wants a photo op with foreign police chiefs while ignoring domestic abuse.
They’re staging a PR spectacle and calling it patriotism. The protest isn’t the problem-it’s the performance.
And if you think the Cybercrime Act isn’t being used to surveil activists? You’re either naive or complicit.
Sneha N
…I just… I can’t believe they’re asking us to stay quiet.
What if it was your brother? Your cousin? Your friend locked up for a tweet?
💔
They say it’s ‘ill-timed’… but when is the right time to be unheard?
…I’m crying.
😢
Manjunath Nayak BP
Look, I’ve been following this for years. The NPF has been using the Cybercrime Act since 2015 to arrest bloggers, journalists, even comedians. They’ve got a whole dossier on ‘online subversion.’
And now they’re using National Police Day as a distraction tactic? Classic. They know the media will focus on the ‘disrespect’ angle and ignore the real issue.
They’ve been doing this since the 2017 #EndSARS protests. Always pivot to emotion. Always avoid accountability.
They’re not asking for dialogue-they’re asking for silence. And if you give it to them, you’re part of the problem.
Don’t let them rewrite history. This protest? It’s not about timing. It’s about truth.
Tulika Singh
Maybe the protest and the celebration can both be true.
Not in opposition. In parallel.
Let them honor the officers. Let them demand justice.
One doesn’t erase the other.
Nikhil nilkhan
There’s something beautiful about how the police are asking for dialogue. Even if it feels like a trap, it’s still an opening.
Maybe the protest shouldn’t be canceled… but redirected.
What if, instead of marching on the same day, they showed up at the police headquarters the next morning with flowers, signs, and a list of demands?
That’s not disrespect. That’s courage.
That’s how you make people listen.
Not by shouting over a celebration… but by showing up when it’s quiet.