The police in Lagos State have warned against any rally billed for this Saturday at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota.
The state commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu gave the warning on Thursday during a press conference at the state command headquarters in Ikeja. Top Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho had earlier insisted that nothing could stop the Lagos Mega rally on Saturday, July 3, 2021.
The Lagos police boss said, “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to the news making rounds and a press statement signed by one Olayomi Koiki dated 30th June, 2021, that some individuals have concluded plans to stage a mega rally, in continuation of the secessionist agenda for Oodua Republic on 3rd July 2021, at Gani Fawehimi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State.
“The Lagos State Police Command hereby warns that no rally will be allowed, under whatever guise, in any part of the state.”
The Lagos CP added that “The Command, therefore, warns the organisers and their followers against staging the planned rally and stay clear of streets of Lagos for the interest of the state and the general public as anyone caught participating or facilitating the rally will be dealt with within the ambit of the law.
“Lagos State cannot afford to experience any security lapses, breakdown of law and order and threat to public peace at the moment, considering the negative effects and reoccurring agonies of October 2020 violent #EndSARS crisis that led to massive destruction of public and private facilities while some police personnel paid the supreme price.”
The police in Lagos stressed that “The Command will not be cajoled by the so-called organisers that the rally will be peaceful.
“That was the same slogan adopted by the organisers of the #EndSARS protest that was eventually snowballed into crises with attendant massive destruction of lives and properties. The Police will not submit to their antics.”
Odumosu added that “Intelligence report available to the police indicates that some disgruntled elements have perfected plans to infiltrate the ranks of the protesters and cause more mayhem and seize the opportunity to attack and loot properties of law-abiding citizens of the state.”
The Lagos CP also claimed that “Similarly, it has gotten to the knowledge of the command that the organisers’ footsoldiers and mobilisers have concluded plans to embark on procession on the streets of Lagos as part of the programme for the mega rally.
“The effect of this, if allowed to come to fruition is better known than imagined, on the security, traffic and economic activities of a cosmopolitan state, like Lagos.”
CP Odumosu also stated that “It has also come to the knowledge of the command that the rally arranged to take place at Gani Fawehimi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, has been planned by some other yet-to-be-identified groups to simultaneously take place in Lekki Toll Gate, Ikoyi, Iyana-Ipaja, Ikeja, Surulere, Ikorodu and other areas. This, if allowed could be a fatal ground to anarchy “
“Intelligence also reveals that one Elewe-omo, a transport union leader in Ibadan, Oyo State, has perfected plan to attack the organisers of the rally as a reprisal attack for the death of one of his followers allegedly killed by one of Sunday Igboho’s group during a similar rally organised in Ibadan, Oyo State sometimes ago.”.
The Lagos police warned that “The Command will not fold its hands and allow disgruntled elements to truncate the peace being enjoyed in the state. The Command hereby appeals to the general public, especially Lagosians to shun the rally while parents and guardians are urged to discourage their children and wards from participating in the rally.
“The general public and all law-abiding people of Lagos State are hereby urged to go about their normal daily activities as the police command and other security agencies have, as usual, put measures in place to provide adequate and water-tight security for all and sundry in the state.”
Source: Nigerian Tribune
