Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Police Force fired teargas at peaceful protesters in Lagos on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, disrupting a nationwide demonstration organised by the Take It Back Movement to draw attention to the country's worsening economic and governance challenges. The incident occurred in the Maryland area of Lagos, where hundreds of demonstrators had gathered under the #RevolutionNow banner to demand an end to hunger, economic hardship, insecurity, and what they described as bad governance under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that the protesters were marching peacefully when police officers, alongside some suspected thugs, attempted to disrupt the procession by firing teargas. Protesters were heard calling on the police to stop the harassment, insisting that they were carrying out a peaceful demonstration and questioning the presence of the yet-to-be-identified thugs who had reportedly been mobilised to the protest venue. In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the protesters were seen being harassed and chased by the suspected thugs, who witnesses alleged were loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress. The incident reportedly occurred in the presence of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force deployed to the protest venue, with witnesses alleging that the police officers at the scene did not stop the attackers as the disruption unfolded.
The attack came hours after protesters converged at Maryland, Lagos, as part of the nationwide #RevolutionNow demonstrations convened by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and the Take It Back Movement. Earlier on Wednesday, demonstrators had begun the protest peacefully, carrying placards and chanting slogans against worsening economic hardship, insecurity and the rising cost of living. The Take It Back Movement had described the demonstration as "Nigeria's rebirth" and "Our Walk to Freedom," while one protester declared: "The residents are hungry, is this really democracy?" The August 5 protests took place simultaneously in several cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Benin City and Ibadan, with organisers saying the demonstrations were aimed at drawing attention to worsening hunger, insecurity and shrinking civic space under the Tinubu administration.
The incident occurred despite the Take It Back Movement having formally notified the Nigeria Police Force of its planned nationwide peaceful protest. On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the movement formally informed the Nigeria Police Force of its intention to stage a nationwide peaceful protest on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, and urged the police to provide security, manage traffic and ensure the safety of demonstrators, journalists and members of the public throughout the exercise. The notification was contained in a letter dated Tuesday, August 4, 2026, addressed to the Inspector-General of Police by WCE & Co. Chambers, solicitors to the movement. According to the letter, the law firm said it was acting on the instructions of members of the Take It Back Movement, who intended to exercise what they described as their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Among their demands were an end to insecurity, the release of political detainees, the repeal of the Cybercrime Act, the implementation of a ₦500,000 national minimum wage, the restoration of fuel subsidy and greater government accountability. The protests came nearly one year after the nationwide #EndBadGovernance demonstrations of August 2025, during which clashes between security operatives and protesters in several states resulted in arrests, injuries and deaths. Rights groups had accused security agencies of using excessive force during those protests, while government authorities maintained that some demonstrations were infiltrated by violent elements.
SaharaReporters could not immediately obtain a response from the Lagos State Police Command regarding the incident. However, the attack on the protesters has renewed concerns over the safety of demonstrators and the ability of security agencies to protect citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. The development comes amid growing frustration among Nigerians over soaring inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed millions into poverty, while the government has insisted that its economic reforms are necessary for long-term stability.
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