Because the moment they succeed, they take away our voices. They take away the right to ask questions. They take away the right to challenge injustice. This is why we urge all Nigerians to join this protest,” he added
By Afolabi Ayodele
Lagos, Nigeria | April 7 2025
Hundreds of Nigerians on Monday staged protests in Lagos and Ibadan, demanding the immediate repeal of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
The demonstrators, mostly youths and members of the pro-democracy TakeItBack Movement, said the Act had become a tool for government authorities to suppress dissent, clamp down on journalists, and criminalise freedom of expression.
In Lagos, protesters marched through major streets with placards condemning the law.
One placard read, “Any law that forbids us from speaking truth against oppression in Nigeria is no longer a law but shackles of slavery.”
Similar scenes unfolded in Ibadan, Oyo State, where protesters gathered at the busy Iwo Road despite the presence of heavily armed police officers.
“We should not allow anybody to take away our freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” one protester said.
“Because the moment they succeed, they take away our voices. They take away the right to ask questions. They take away the right to challenge injustice. This is why we urge all Nigerians to join this protest,” he added.
While police officers claimed to be on ground to maintain order, protesters said their presence was more intimidating than protective.
The protests were streamed live on SaharaReporters’ TikTok, showing passionate youths singing solidarity songs and demanding a return to true democracy.
Originally introduced in 2015 to combat internet fraud, the Cybercrime Act has, in recent years, been used against journalists, critics, and citizens for online expressions deemed offensive by authorities.
Activists are now calling for the law’s total repeal, accusing the government of using it to erode fundamental rights and stifle opposition voices.
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