Heavy security forces were deployed around the Presidential Villa in Abuja ahead of a planned protest led by Omoyele Sowore and the Take It Back Movement demanding the release of abducted schoolchildren and teachers across Nigeria.
Heavy security was deployed around the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday ahead of a planned protest calling for the immediate release of abducted schoolchildren and teachers still held by terrorists in parts of Oyo, Borno and other states. Armed soldiers, police officers, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were stationed at strategic entry points leading to the Villa, restricting both pedestrian and vehicular movement in the area.
The security operation led to significant disruption across the capital, as barricades and checkpoints mounted on major roads prevented access to key government institutions, including the Federal Secretariat, National Assembly, and Supreme Court. The restrictions caused severe traffic congestion, leaving many commuters stranded and forcing motorists to divert to alternative routes.
Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, alongside the Take It Back Movement, had scheduled a peaceful mass protest for Thursday, June 4, 2026. The demonstration was expected to begin at Eagle Square and proceed to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, with organisers demanding the release of abducted victims nationwide and urging President Bola Tinubu to either secure their freedom or resign over alleged failure to protect citizens.
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