KEY POINTS

• Omoyele Sowore led a protest in Abuja demanding the rescue of abducted schoolchildren across Nigeria.
• Heavy security presence prevented protesters from marching to the Presidential Villa.
• Public pressure continues to mount on the Federal Government over recent school abductions in Oyo and Borno states.

Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Thursday led a protest in Abuja calling on the Federal Government to urgently secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from various parts of the country.

The demonstration, organised under the hashtag #OccupyAsoRock, was intended to proceed to the Presidential Villa. However, protesters were forced to gather near the Federal High Court after security operatives blocked access routes leading to the State House.

The protest comes amid growing concern over the rising wave of school kidnappings and insecurity affecting several communities across Nigeria.

Security was significantly tightened around the Presidential Villa as authorities moved to prevent protesters from reaching the seat of government.

Anti-riot police officers were stationed at the main entrance of the Villa, while personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the military, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were deployed to strategic locations around the area.

Roads leading to the Federal Secretariat and surrounding districts were also blocked, causing traffic congestion in parts of Abuja. Access to the Presidential Villa was restricted to individuals carrying official State House identification.

Security personnel maintained a strong presence throughout the protest to prevent any breach of restricted areas.

Sowore Describes Security Situation as Alarming

Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, Sowore expressed concern over the state of security in Nigeria and urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the rescue of the abducted children.

According to him, the safety of schoolchildren and other kidnapping victims should be treated as an urgent national issue.

He argued that Nigerians were increasingly worried about insecurity and called on the government to take decisive action to ensure the safe return of all kidnapped pupils.

Sowore also stated that similar protests were taking place in other parts of the country to increase pressure on authorities and draw attention to the plight of the victims and their families.

Despite the large deployment of security personnel, Sowore said organisers deliberately avoided any confrontation with soldiers and police officers.

He explained that the protest was designed to remain peaceful and that participants chose not to challenge security barricades in order to prevent violence or unrest.

While insisting that the demonstrators were not intimidated by the security presence, he maintained that the movement would continue to push for accountability and action from the government through peaceful means.

Sowore had earlier announced that members of the AAC and its affiliated Take-It-Back Movement would embark on a march from Eagle Square to the Presidential Villa if the abducted pupils in Oyo and Borno states were not rescued.

The organisers said the objective was to demand the immediate release of the children and other victims of kidnapping across the country.

The planned march was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday and was intended to draw national attention to the worsening security situation.