Youths, Lagos Police Set In Confrontation As Police Warns EndSARS Protest Set For Saturday Would Be Resisted

Youths, Lagos Police Set In Confrontation As Police Warns EndSARS Protest Set For Saturday Would Be Resisted

The #EndSARS protest due to hold on Saturday may be disallowed by the Police, as Lagos State Police Command is set to stop the protest.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has warned that the State would not tolerate any civil disorder, even though all plans for the protest will go ahead, according to sources from organisers.

The source claimed the #EndSARS protest would be discharged their rights as Nigerian citizens and therefore should not be disturbed or be dissuaded.

The source also claimed all machineries have been set in motion to ensure a violent-free protest, as it would go ahead.

Hear the source: “All preparations are in top gear to make the protest violent free and our banners would show we are for justice and fairplay”

It is set to hold on Saturday, October 13, 2021, at the venue of the last protest, The Lekki TollGate

 However, Lagos State Police Command on Thursday in a Press release warned that any protest in furtherance of the recent violent and destructive #EndSARS protest in Lagos would be counterproductive, especially to the ongoing series of inquiries and investigations into many cases related to the #EndSARS violence and the present security situation of the state.

The protest plan had been organised following a to after the controversial ruling of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry which had ordered that the Lekki Tollgate, where that last October protest took place should be reopened.

The Police Commissioner had opined that if the demonstration holds, whether peaceful or violent, it may wreak havoc in the state and therefore said he would not allow it to take place, claiming that the state in general and the government and people of Lagos still nurture the wounds of the recent #EndSARS staged last October.

Last Saturday, Justice Doris Okuwobo(rtd), heaing the panel of inquiry  ruled in favour of the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, to repossess the toll plaza for repairs and insurance claims and therefore declaring it should open officially.

Five members of the ruling panel supported the ruling out of the nine-man panel members, while four members, including Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and the youth representatives held dissenting views to the ruling with the Toll Plaza handed back to LCC for repairs. It means it would be open for business as usual soon. .

The statement read, “I deemed it imperative to jointly address you and the general public with the Honourable Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, on the stance of the police command on the proposed #EndSARS protest slated for Saturday, 13th February, 2021, being championed by some individuals, Hashtag #OCCUPYLAGOSLEKKITOLLGATE, at Lekki Toll Gate plaza, Lagos State. Permit me to state in clear terms that organizing any protest in furtherance of the recent violent and destructive #EndSARS protest will be counterproductive to the ongoing series of inquiries and investigations into many cases related to the #EndSARS violence and the present security situation of the state.

“Above all, the command has gathered intelligence that some hidden agents of destruction and shadow parties that planned and orchestrated the last #EndSARS violence have concluded plans to cause another set of mayhem in Lagos State and spread same to other parts of the country, tactically and spontaneously, like the recent violence.

“Premised on the available intelligence and due threat analyses carried out on the planned protest, the command perceives such proposed protest as a calculated attempt to cause pandemonium, brouhaha, and massive destruction of lives and property under whatever guide and such will not be allowed in Lagos State.

“The Lagos State, its people, and the Nigerian nation at large are still groaning (in pains) for the aftermath of the last #EndSARS violence that left many lives and property lost. It is therefore not reasonable to allow the same to repeat itself in the state. More expedient why such gathering should not hold is the prevailing Covid-19 virus which is rampaging in the country. You will all recall four days ago, the Federal Government Task Force on Covid-19 declared that the country now has 13 variants of the Covid-19 virus which make it more deadly.

“With this development, all hands must be on deck to halt the spread of the virus by self-complying with its protocols major which is maintenance social distance. In addition, the judgement pronounced on the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gate plaza has been misconceptualised by the #EndSARS agitators, which I am sure the Hon Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Lagos State has addressed. The Panel of Inquiry on #EndSARS violence in the state has taken drastic steps to forward reports to the state government on the payment of compensations to affected individuals that were adjudged victims of police brutality and excessiveness. The government has released some amount of money to take care of these compensations accordingly.”

Odumosu urged all parents to be on guard to discourage their children from embarking on any protest in the state as Saturday approaches.

“On this note, the command, therefore, warns that inasmuch as the police respect people’s opinions and human rights, no protest will be allowed in any part of the state as the security of lives and property of the government and the good people of Lagos State is paramount and not negotiable,” he added.

“The command also warns that adequate arrangement and deployment of security forces to kick against and dislodge any violent protest, gathering, and procession in any part of the state has been emplaced. The decision of the command in this regard is in the interest of all and sundry in Lagos and to ensure that the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Police Force are not compromised.

“I, therefore, appeal to the general public, particularly parents and guardians, to discourage and warn their children and wards to ignore any unreasonable call or mobilisation for protest or gathering which runs against the existing peace and security situation of the state. I wish to also warn that the command will not hesitate to resist any protest and/or gathering with all available resources at its disposal but within the ambit of the law.”