Security was heightened around the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday following plans by human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to lead a protest march to Aso Rock.

Anti-riot police officers were deployed in large numbers around the main entrance to the State House, with access restricted to persons carrying valid State House identification.

The security reinforcement comes after Sowore announced that he would lead members of the AAC and the Take It Back Movement from Eagle Square to the Presidential Villa under the hashtag #OccupyAsoRock, demanding the rescue of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states.

Sowore said the protest would call on President Bola Tinubu to secure the release of the kidnapped pupils and other victims across the country or resign over what he described as a failure to protect Nigerians.

“You cannot claim to be president of Nigeria and then refuse to do the job of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” Sowore said while addressing protesters earlier in the week.

The planned demonstration is linked to the abduction of dozens of students and teachers during attacks on schools in Oyo and Borno states on May 15.

The Federal Government had earlier dispatched a high-powered delegation to the affected communities and announced measures including the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards and the deployment of a specialised rescue team to support ongoing operations.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has commenced an indefinite strike in Oyo State over the security situation, while solidarity rallies have been held in several states to demand the safe return of the victims.