Amid widespread grievances from Nigerians over economic difficulties and hunger, the Take It Back Movement and allied civil society organizations, socialist groups, radical political organizations, and the AAC party (African Action Congress) have announced nationwide peaceful protests to take place on Wednesday, June 12.

The Take It Back Movement and its allies held a press conference at the International Press Centre (IPC) in Ogba, Lagos, on Thursday, to publicly announce their intention to hold nationwide peaceful protests on June 12.

The press conference served as a platform for the coalition to officially voice their concerns and outline their plans for a coordinated demonstration, with the aim of amplifying the voices of Nigerians struggling with economic hardship and bringing their grievances to the forefront of the national dialogue.

In the joint effort, the Take It Back Movement and the other groups: Joint Action Front (JAF), Education Rights Campaign (ERC), African Action Congress (AAC), Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON), Socialist Workers League (SWL), and PRP Vanguard united under a common cause to speak out against the current state of affairs under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sanyaolu Juwon, the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, spoke on behalf of the coalition of groups to assert that the current situation has reached a breaking point, with many Nigerians unable to afford even basic necessities like garri, rice, beans, and bread, let alone a single meal each day.

Juwon emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging Nigerians to unite under the planned #June12Protest in order to pressure the government to address the alarming levels of poverty and hunger that have become commonplace under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.

To present a united front against the hardships faced by Nigerians under the current regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Take It Back Movement and its coalition partners made 11 demands, which they put forward as essential steps to address the numerous issues affecting the country.

Among the demands listed by the coalition was a call for a 50% reduction in the salaries and allowances of political office holders, a move that they argue would release valuable funds for reinvestment into the country’s development.

Additionally, the coalition called for a comprehensive social program to support informal workers, along with free healthcare for vulnerable groups such as the elderly over 65 years, children under seven years, and pregnant women.

Furthermore, they demanded that the government implement a contributory pension scheme for informal workers, highlighting the need to ensure that these individuals have access to a secure and dignified retirement.

As a part of their demands, the coalition also emphasized the importance of press freedom and the protection of civil liberties in Nigeria.

They called on the Tinubu-led administration to put an end to attacks on the press, including the release of all detained journalists. The coalition further urged the government to release all political detainees and recall activists who have been victimised, along with the immediate release of all those detained during the #EndSARS protests.