The #FearlessInOctober protest experienced a low turnout in Abuja and several states, amid heavy security presence and clashes with protesters. Organizers from the Take It Back Movement decried the event's disruption, with police firing tear gas in Abuja, dispersing the crowd. Similar protests in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers also saw heightened security, with some demonstrators attacked by thugs, allegedly in collaboration with police.
The protest was a continuation of the #EndBadGovernance movement, focused on economic hardships Nigerians are facing. Omoyele Sowore, a key organizer, emphasized that the action is critical to demanding better governance and accountability. In Lagos, protesters carried placards calling for a reduction in fuel prices, reversal of electricity tariffs, and an end to attacks on democratic rights.
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Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu announced a 30-day National Youth Conference aimed at addressing challenges faced by Nigerian youth. However, the Take It Back Movement rejected this initiative, labeling it a "jamboree" designed to appease Tinubu's supporters. The group expressed that Nigerians need concrete solutions to pressing issues, not another conference.
While the government continues to push for dialogue through the proposed youth confab, opposition parties and civil society groups criticized the move. They argued that good governance, not conferences, is what Nigerians need to tackle the nation’s worsening economic and security challenges.
