Tinubu Urged to Act on Insecurity as Protesters Mark June 12

As Nigerians marked the June 12 Democracy Day, pro-democracy activists staged protests across the country, calling for an end to the rising insecurity and the rescue of abducted citizens, including pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo State. The protests, which took place in several states, saw activists condemning the worsening state of insecurity, economic hardship, and the decline of democratic culture in the country. Opposition parties also criticised President Bola Tinubu, stating that his administration had failed to address the growing insecurity, which had exposed citizens to violence, kidnappings, and other criminal activities.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who participated in the June 12 rally in Lagos, said the protest was organised to demand the rescue of abducted victims and to draw attention to broader issues affecting Nigerians. He stated, 'We are protesting the kidnapping of our children in Oyo State. We are also protesting injustice in our country, where innocent schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states have been in the custody of criminals for several weeks now.' Falana further said, 'Those kids are suffering. There is no medical attention and no food for them. And so, for us as Nigerians, all of us are in custody, one way or the other. We demand the immediate release of those children and their teachers.'

Meanwhile, 12 human rights organisations in Osun State, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups, Activists and Trade Unionists, demanded urgent action against insecurity in the state. The groups converged at the Ayetoro area before marching through Old Garage to Olaiya Junction, where their leaders addressed journalists. Osun State Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Victor Lijofi, said the country's democracy was 'derailing' and urged governments at all levels to act decisively on the worsening security situation.

In Kwara State, members of the Take-It-Back Movement issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the state government to secure the release of residents abducted across various communities. The protesters, led by the State Coordinator of the movement, Saidu Tsaragi, said the worsening insecurity in parts of the state had made the Democracy Day celebrations meaningless for families whose loved ones remain in captivity.

Some governors, including Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, and Hyacinth Alia of Benue, reaffirmed their commitments to end insecurity and promote democracy in their separate messages. Yahaya described democracy as the most dependable pathway to sustainable development, while Mutfwang said his administration would not negotiate with terrorists. Alia commended the House of Representatives for passing a bill aimed at paving the way for the creation of state police, describing it as a bold step towards strengthening the country's security architecture.