The account of the Take It Back Movement (TIB), a human rights organization leading the charge for the upcoming nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, domiciled with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) has reportedly frozen.
TIB on Friday alleged that the account was frozen on the order of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s secret police.
DSS ordered the freezing of the account on the suspicion that it was being used to crowdfund illegally.
“UBA had no other option than to comply as it cannot possibly disobey the government,” a source at the bank told News Express.
The group vowed to take legal action against UBA if the account is not unfrozen within 24 hours.
“It has now come to our attention that @UBAGroup has frozen our account on the instructions of the DSS over our involvement in the forthcoming protest.
“We describe this action as lawless, and demand our account be unfrozen immediately within the next 24hours, without which a legal action will be instituted against @UBAGroup,” it said in a post on its X handle on Friday.
Omoyele Sowore, an activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, has condemned the actions of both the DSS and UBA, describing them as “lawless” and cowardly.
“Lawless @OfficialDSSNG will learn a hard lesson soon, and @UBAGroup, @TonyOElumelu for this act of cowardice and conspiracy, the people of Nigeria that you’re letting down at this critical moment in history will let you down soon, too! #DaysOfRage,” Sowore said on X.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the protests have formally requested the use of Eagle Square in Abuja as a venue for the demonstrations, which are scheduled to take place from August 1 to 10.
In a letter to Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the group requested unrestricted access to the square, along with essential amenities like power supply, water, and security.
The planned protests have ignited a fierce debate in the country, with the government intensifying efforts to stop the hunger protest.