By Rejoice Peterside
Security operatives on Thursday tightened surveillance and reinforced security around the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja ahead of a planned protest led by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
A combined team of anti-riot police officers and other security personnel were heavily deployed around major access routes leading to the Presidential Villa, with strict checks mounted at strategic points around the State House.
Eyewitnesses observed that officers in full riot gear cordoned off parts of the area, while access into the Presidential Villa was restricted to persons with valid State House identification tags.
The heightened security followed Sowore’s announcement that members of the African Action Congress (AAC) and the Take It Back Movement would march from Eagle Square to the Presidential Villa under the hashtag #OccupyAsoRock.
The protest, according to Sowore, was aimed at demanding the immediate rescue of abducted schoolchildren and other kidnapping victims across Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the protest, Sowore criticised the government’s handling of insecurity, insisting that the continued abduction of pupils and attacks on communities reflected a major failure in protecting citizens.
He argued that security agencies should focus more on securing schools and communities rather than mobilising officers to stop peaceful protests.
The planned demonstration comes amid growing outrage over recent kidnappings in Oyo and Borno states, where dozens of pupils and teachers were abducted from schools by armed attackers.
The incidents have triggered nationwide concern and renewed calls for stronger action against insecurity and mass abductions across the country.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had earlier announced measures aimed at addressing the crisis, including the deployment of security personnel and approval for the recruitment of forest guards to strengthen operations in vulnerable communities.
As of the time of filing this report, security presence remained heavy around the Presidential Villa, while authorities monitored movements within the nation’s capital ahead of the planned protest.
