Residents and activists, united under the ‘Take-It-Back Movement’, have declared plans to hold a mass protest in Oyo State to demand urgent action against escalating insecurity and the surge in kidnapping cases across the region.
The protest, scheduled for Monday, June 1, 2026, is expected to converge at Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan by 8 a.m., with organisers accusing authorities of failing to protect residents from violent criminals.
According to a distributed flyer, the organisers stated that residents are exhausted by the climate of fear created by relentless kidnappings and violent attacks across Oyo State, with Ogbomoso and other communities among the hardest hit.
The protest materials carried bold inscriptions such as: ‘End Insecurity Now!’, ‘Our Lives Matter’, ‘No More Kidnapping In Oyo State’, and ‘Security Is A Right, Not A Privilege’.
The organisers further demanded the immediate release of all kidnapping victims reportedly being held in Ogbomoso and other parts of Oyo State. ‘Free the Ogbomoso and other kidnap victims in Oyo State’, the protest message read.
The movement accused both the federal and state governments of failing in their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, insisting that residents could no longer remain silent amid growing fear and uncertainty. “Together, we take it back”, the organisers declared, adding, “Silence is complicity. Action is our power”.
The planned demonstration comes amid mounting concerns over insecurity in several parts of Oyo State, where residents have repeatedly raised the alarm over kidnappings along highways, attacks on farmers, and growing criminal activities in rural communities. Many residents have also accused security agencies of responding slowly to distress calls, while families of victims are often left to negotiate ransom payments with kidnappers.
The Take-It-Back Movement, known for organising civic protests and rights campaigns across Nigeria, said the June 1 demonstration is aimed at forcing authorities to take urgent action against insecurity before the situation spirals further out of control.
