There was tension in Port Harcourt on Monday morning as police operatives disrupted a peaceful protest organized by the Take It Back Movement, firing teargas to disperse the crowd protesting against the alleged plan to impose emergency rule in Rivers State.
Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command on Monday, April 7, 2025, fired multiple rounds of teargas at protesters who had gathered at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt to kick against an alleged move to declare a state of emergency in the state.
The demonstration, organized by the Take It Back Movement, began around 9:00 a.m., but was swiftly met with a heavy police presence.
Eyewitnesses say the protesters, mostly youths, were peaceful and chanting solidarity songs before security forces stormed the venue.
Despite prior warnings from the Nigeria Police Force advising the group to cancel the protest, the activists pressed on with their plan, accusing the federal government of attempting to suppress the democratic space in Rivers State.
“No one can tell us where not to gather—we are Rivers people!” some of the young demonstrators shouted defiantly, according to a report by Channels Television.
The teargas forced many protesters to disperse, though no injuries or arrests were confirmed at the time of filing this report.
The situation has heightened political tension in the oil-rich state, which has recently been marred by deepening political rivalry and unrest.
As at press time, the Rivers State Police Command has not released an official statement on the incident. However, civil society groups have condemned the police action, describing it as an infringement on the right to peaceful protest.
More updates to follow as the story develops.