“This Was Not a Protest, It Was a Sponsored Political Attack” — City Boy Movement On Provocative Picketing of Its HQ

The City Boy Movement has described the picketing of its national headquarters in Abuja by a group claiming to be protesting insecurity as a “sponsored political attack” designed to provoke confrontation and intimidate its members.

In a statement signed by its Deputy Director-General for Media, Communications and Public Affairs, O’tega Ogra, the movement said the action was “not a genuine protest” but a politically motivated effort to create a false narrative against the organisation.

“What happened at our office was not a genuine protest. It was a sponsored political action aimed at provoking confrontation, intimidating our members, and pinning a false narrative on the City Boy Movement,” the statement said.

While acknowledging that insecurity remains a serious national concern, the group insisted that the Federal Government was taking decisive action to address the challenge.

Quoting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Democracy Day address, the movement noted that the President had warned terrorists to “surrender, or face the full force of the Nigerian State,” adding that it stood firmly behind that position.

The organisation also cited what it described as improvements in security efforts, including the neutralisation of thousands of terrorists and increased budgetary allocations to defence and security.

“Terror-related deaths are down 81% since 2015. Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year. The 2026 budget commits ₦5.41 trillion to defence and security, the largest in our history. Only just yesterday, those responsible for the papiri church attack were sentenced by the courts. This is a government that is fighting. Anyone who says otherwise is either not paying attention or has reasons for wanting Nigerians not to pay attention,” the statement added.

The City Boy Movement further alleged that one of the individuals present during the demonstration was captured on video calling for its property to be set ablaze.

“That is not protest. That is a threat of arson,” it said, adding that the footage had been preserved and would be handed over to security agencies.

“Anyone involved should be in no doubt: we will pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law,” the popular movement emphasized.

The group stressed that while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, such rights do not extend to intimidation, threats, harassment or attempts to prevent others from freely associating with political movements of their choice.

“We will not be intimidated. We will not be distracted. We will not be stampeded into silence,” the statement added.

The movement said it had notified relevant authorities and would continue to cooperate with security agencies to protect its members, staff and property, while remaining open to “sincere dialogue” but not “harassment, blackmail, threats, or political manipulation disguised as protest.”