In Togo, the highly anticipated three-day nationwide protest kicked off Thursday morning, drawing crowds across major towns despite government resistance and heightened security presence.

Mobilized largely through social media by youth groups, the demonstrations are set to continue on Friday and Saturday. Protesters are demanding the immediate resignation of President of the National Council, Faure Gnassingbé, who has ruled for two decades.

The demonstrations come amid rising socio-political tension, with opposition parties and civil society groups condemning alleged governance failures, human rights abuses, and restrictions on media and civic space.

Despite the official ban on unauthorized protests, demonstrators have defied warnings, risking confrontation with state agents reportedly deployed to quash the gatherings. Togo remains tense as the protests unfold.