Police, soldiers foil protests in Lagos

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Benjamin Omoike, Chioma Joseph & Gbenga Olarinoye

Amid fears that youths were gearing up for another round of #EndSARS demonstrations in Lagos, the police stormed Lekki Toll Gate and Ikeja axis, the two epicentres of the initial protest, to forestall the resurgence of the movement.

They had earlier warned that security agencies would not fold their arms as youths planned fresh protests against police brutality and extortion.

However, on Monday, several motorists said that the security operatives were deployed around Lekki tollgate at midnight to checkmate any untoward move by the EndSARS protesters.

Also, commuters and residents confirmed that scores of police personnel and soldiers started patrolling the Ikeja, Opebi and Airport Tollgate areas in a show of force to wade off suspected protesters.

The #EndSARS protests, which took place in October, were hijacked by hoodlums, leading to destruction of private and public property and loss of lives.

Lagos State Police Command had on Sunday in a statement by its spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, threatened that “security agencies will not fold their arms” as youths plan fresh protests against police brutality and extortion.

The statement was issued after a poster, titled “#EndSARS reloaded phase II” went viral on social media.

It was stated in the poster that the “phase II” of the #EndSARS protest would begin on Monday, December 7, in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Delta, and Bayelsa.

The demands of the protesters are “Buhari, Buratai, Sanwo-Olu must resign and face ICC for killing innocent Nigerians at Lekki toll; free all #EndSARS protesters; unfreeze all bank accounts of #EndSARS protesters and referendum.

Meanwhile, following warnings by the State Police Command against violent gatherings across the state, there appeared to be total compliance on Monday, as the protesters were conspicuously absent at the various proposed venues in the state, just as the Police have debunked a viral video about protest gatherings in the state.

As at 8am, fully armed policemen and soldiers had been deployed to some of the venues, especially Lekki Toll Plaza, which was the centre of attraction and what has come to be where the grand finale of the EndSARS Protests took place last September.

However, the social media was awash on Monday with a video that some youths had stormed the streets of Lagos, to protest the immediate release of all detained protesters and asking for the defreezing of their bank accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

To buttress this, series of photographs and video clips were posted to various social media platforms to, according to the police, deceive many.

This alleged fake information further heightened tension and apprehension in some quarters, as many stayed away from major roads to avoid the unforseen.

Lagos State, in an attempt to forestall another round of #EndSARS protests, had deployed security operatives to the strategic places in the state.

Investigations revealed the presence of security operatives at some protests venues, such as Ikeja, Alimosho, Iyana-Ipaja and Lekki Toll Plaza, while protesters stayed off the venues.

The police spokesman in a statement, debunked the viral videos on social media, as regards the protests, saying the Command was out to ensure compliance with law and order in the state.

He said, “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video of a protest at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos State, purported to have been staged today 7th December, 2020.

This is not true, as there are no protests in Lagos.” In a related development, the Ogin State Police Command on Monday, threatened to disrupt any new protest in the state.

The Command said SARS is now history, therefore It will be mischievous for anybody to protest against a nonexistent outfit or any issue, for that matter.

In a statement signed by their spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Monday, the police said anyone found on the streets participating in any form of protest would face the full wrath of the law.

“It has come to the knowledge of Ogun State Police Command that some misguided individuals are planning to stage a violent protest tagged “ENDSARS Phase 11” today, 7th of December 2020 in Ogun State.

“While the command recognises that it is the right of citizens to employ protest to express their grievances over issues of governance, there is however nothing at present that calls for such protest in the Gateway State, except for those who see trouble making as a lucrative business.

“No reasonable person, after the massive destruction of properties and loss of lives, occasioned by the recent #EndSARS protest, would again be contemplating another violent protest so soon.

It is the most callous thing to conceive and do. “In Ogun State, we have since the end of #EndSARS protest been enjoying well-deserved peace. Socio-economic activities have resumed fully.

Schools have also resumed, and the children in particular can be seen happily resuming and closing from schools.

“Only an enemy of the people therefore would wish to re-enact the #EndSARS mayhem,” part of it the statement read.

The police spokesperson also said the organisers of the planned second phase of the protest are ‘irrational’ since “SARS is now history!

It is mischievous therefore for anybody to protest against a non-existent outfit or any issue.

“The Commissioner of Police therefore advises parents, guardians and the youth to be wary of those who derive pleasure in a state of confusion and violence.”

There were nationwide protests against police brutality in October but the rallies ended violently following security operatives’ attack on peaceful protesters.

Soldiers shot at protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos on October 20, killing some citizens. Judicial panels of inquiry are currently investigating previous cases of police brutality in many states.

On the other hand, the Federal Government is clamping down on promoters of the protests by seizing their international passports, freezing their bank accounts and arresting some individuals.

Similarly, youths, under the aegis of Face of #EndSARS Movement, on Monday, began a second wave of #EndSARS protests in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

The protesters, who had earlier converged on the Ogo-Oluwa area, later marched to the Osun State House of Assembly along the State Secretariat, Abere.

Our correspondent, who monitored the protests reported that the protesting youths were led by one Emmanuel Adebisi.

When they reached the state House of Assembly, it was gathered that the youths, who were armed with placards with various inscriptions, demanded an audience with the leadership of the Assembly. Some of the placards read: “We Are Not Fighting For Any Political Party,” “#End Bad Judiciary in Nigeria,” ”#End Fake Judicial Panel of Inquiry in Osun,” “Unfreeze All The Frozen Accounts,” ”We Are Nigerian Youths,” among others.

The protesters noted that their actions were aimed at demanding good governance and not to destroy properties.

Earlier, the spokesperson of #EndSARs protesters, Emmanuel Adebisi, said their demands from the state government had not been met and that they deserved to be attended to.

Adebisi said those representing the #EndSARs group in the Judicial Panel of Enquiry were not part of the group.

He also maintained that only political youths were included in the Federal Government #500,000 empowerment fund for youths, and alleged “a careless statement from a police officer” who was quoted to have said a Nigerian youth with his/her family was not worth N1.3 million and decried non-release of arrested protesters.

While addressing the protesters, the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, assured them of the assembly’s intervention on their demands from the government.

Owoeye said the House would meet with the concerned stakeholders on their demands and get back to them next Monday.

He urged the protesting youth to stop their protest in the interest of maintaining a peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in Osun, while the House waded into the matter.

Also, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, scores of physically challenged persons across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State on Monday occupied the roads leading to the State Government Secretariat in Ibadan, protesting alleged marginalisation in the state’s recruitment exercise.

The protesters also blocked the main entrance of the secretariat.

Their activities caused heavy gridlock along the Agodi Government Secretariat and the long qeue of vehicles extended to major roads along the axis, including Bodija, Sango, UI, Mokola, etc.

The protesters demanded more slots in the non-teaching section of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) recruitment.

They alleged that they applied as non-teaching staff of TESCOM, but that most of them were disqualified.

TESCOM had released a list of 7,000 successful candidates for non-teaching job after the recent recruitment test conducted by the state government.

It was leant that only 149 physically challenged persons were shortlisted according to the list.

While demanding more slots, the aggrieved protesters urged Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene in their matter. Security agents, including men of the Nigeria Police, the Deparment of Secret Service (DSS), Amotekun Corps and the Nigeria Securiy and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), were deployed at the state cretariat main gate to prevent breakdown of law and order.

READ ALSO: Lagos police warn against public gatherings, protests

One of the protesters, Adegbuyi Adekunle, who spoke to our reporter, appealed to Governor Makinde to intervene the matter. “We are protesting because of the TESCOM appointment, the nonteaching job.

Most of our people were not given the appointment. Instead of giving to our people, the disabled, the able people have taken over.

“They are supposed to give us five per cent; that is 350. They gave us 149 instead. That is the reason we are here.

We want the governor to prevail on the authorities. We want the governor to intervene,” he said.