The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, has issued a wanted declaration for human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, following an alleged attempt to organise a protest against building demolitions in Oworonshoki area of Lagos.
Commissioner Jimoh made the declaration on Monday while briefing journalists near the Third Mainland Bridge, where security personnel had been strategically positioned to forestall potential disruptions and maintain order in the vicinity.
According to the police chief, the activist is wanted for actions capable of disturbing public peace and for allegedly planning to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge, a move he described as designed to cause hardship for residents and visitors using the strategic corridor.
“He is wanted for acts capable of disturbing public peace and for putting plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge, an act intended to cause hardship for Lagosians, other Nigerians, and visitors transiting the area. We will not allow that to happen,” the commissioner stated.
Mr Jimoh criticised the activist for recording videos from inside a vehicle rather than presenting himself to law enforcement authorities, adding that officers were closing in on his location.
The commissioner drew parallels with a similar incident in Abuja, questioning why the activist would not present himself to authorities in Lagos.
He directed him to report to the nearest police station, warning that failure to do so would result in arrest, investigation, and prosecution.
The police boss confirmed that 13 individuals connected to the planned demonstration had been taken into custody, describing them as miscreants and hoodlums attempting to instigate crisis and violence in an otherwise peaceful community.
He maintained that residents of Oworonshoki who qualified for compensation had been duly paid and that the community had remained calm, making the protest unnecessary and unwarranted.
Mr Jimoh assured Lagos residents of their safety and encouraged them to continue their daily activities without fear, noting that security operatives had been deployed to all entry points, including Adeniji Adele and Oworonshoki, to prevent unlawful assemblies or obstruction of the busy corridor.
The commissioner warned that blocking the bridge, which serves millions of commuters daily, constituted a criminal act and would be treated as such. He also raised concerns about potential structural damage to the bridge, explaining that such infrastructure is designed for moving vehicles rather than stationary ones, and that creating undue pressure could compromise its safety.
He confirmed that the heavy security presence on the bridge would remain in place to ensure smooth traffic flow and protect critical infrastructure in what he described as the heart of Lagos.
Recent Clashes with Security Agencies
This latest confrontation adds to a series of encounters between the activist and security agencies since the beginning of the year.
In October, he spent several days in detention in Abuja after being arrested over a protest demanding the release of detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, which took place on October 20.
At least three separate charges have been filed against him this year, including one stemming from social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal. The federal government instituted charges after he refused to delete the posts from his social media platforms despite warnings from the State Security Service.
Another case centres on his reference to Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun as an illegal appointee, while the most recent case relates to his involvement in the protest calling for Mr Kanu’s release.
Activist Responds
In a post on the social media platform X, Mr Sowore alleged that he was specifically targeted by police during Monday’s demonstration in Oworonshoki.
He claimed that upon his arrival at the protest venue, officers began firing riot control weapons directly at demonstrators and deployed additional reinforcements from the Rapid Response Squad.
He said he documented some of the police actions, including what he described as indiscriminate arrests and attacks on bystanders, during a live broadcast on social media.
The activist characterised the police response as a misuse of law enforcement resources against defenceless citizens.
Movement Vows to Continue
The National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, declared that demonstrations would continue despite the police declaration, insisting that the action would not deter citizens from exercising their constitutional rights.
He described the police move as an attempt to suppress dissent and pledged that protesters would remain peaceful while demanding justice for residents affected by the Oworonshoki demolitions.
One protester, speaking in Yoruba to reporters, recounted losing his eight-month pregnant wife during the demolition exercise. The visibly distressed man said his home was destroyed without warning, leaving his family without shelter. He appealed to government to demonstrate compassion and provide assistance to displaced residents.
The Secretary of the Take It Back Movement, Abdulaziz Olamide, condemned what he termed unprovoked attacks by police officers on peaceful demonstrators, alleging that officers fired riot control weapons and arrested bystanders during the protest. He called on the Lagos State Government to end the repression and engage with affected residents to find sustainable solutions.
Journalists observed significant police deployment around Iyana-Oworo and other convergence points on Monday morning, with several patrol vehicles stationed at access routes to the Third Mainland Bridge. The security presence appeared to have prevented the planned demonstration from taking place as scheduled.
Background to the Controversy
Residents of Oworonshoki had previously postponed a planned protest following warnings from the Lagos State Police Command that participants risked arrest.
Mr Olamide had explained in October that the group decided to reconsider its strategy after receiving a police circular warning of arrests and continued demolitions if the protest proceeded.
Another resident, Olanrewaju Segun, had insisted at the time that the demonstration would eventually take place, emphasising the need for strategic planning.
The Lagos State Government has defended the demolition exercise, describing the cleared structures as illegal buildings and hideouts for criminal elements. However, rights activists, including Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, have accused the government of violating an existing court injunction restraining further demolitions.
Residents have alleged that the demolitions, often carried out during night hours, have displaced numerous families without adequate compensation or alternative accommodation.
The exercise forms part of the state government’s urban renewal initiative, which has also involved the removal of makeshift structures and shanties under bridges across the metropolis.
While government officials maintain that the programme aims to reclaim public spaces and enhance security, critics argue that it exacerbates homelessness and hardship among low-income residents.
On Sunday, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, urged the state government to pursue urban renewal in a manner that safeguards the welfare of residents, reflecting growing concerns about the need for a more humane approach to development in Africa’s most populous city.
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