Independence Day: Protesters arrested in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command, on Thursday, arrested 30 protesters at various locations within the state for unlawful assembly and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace during the Independence Day celebration.
This indication is contained in statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, and made available to newsmen in Lagos.
Adejobi said that the protesters put on crested vests of #RevolutionNow# with placards and gathered in numbers in violation of the COVID-19 protocol in the state.
“They will be charged to court on Friday, October 2.,” he said.
The officer also said that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, earlier ordered for the immediate detention and orderly room trial of one Inspector Adadu Innocent.
Adejobi said that the inspector, attached to PMF 22 Ikeja, had been detained for hitting and injuring one Mr Kayode Jaiyeola of the Punch Newspaper with a stick at Maryland, Lagos.
“Odumosu personally moved the injured journalist to the Police Cottage (Hospital) at Area F, GRA, Ikeja, where he personally waited and ensured that the injured journalist was given immediate and good medical treatment.
“An eyewitness account from senior officers on ground, revealed that the policeman suddenly attacked the journalist, without any previous altercation or confrontation.
“This propelled the commissioner to order for his trial in order to serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of engaging in unprofessional and unethical conducts,” he said.
According to Adejobi, Odumosu urged the general public to believe in the command’s commitment to sanitise and reform the policing system in Lagos State in conformity with international standards.

Also, two conveners of “Fix Badagry-Lagos Road” protest at Aradagun area of the Expressway were also arrested and taken into custody.
Hundreds of Badagry youths had gathered at Mowo junction of the expressway as early as 7a.m. on Thursday, protesting the deplorable state of the road.
The protesters were moving from Mowo junction towards Aradagun area of the expressway when security operatives, led by Badagry Divisional Police Officer, Peter Gbesu, arrested the convener, Mr Mark Akande, and one other.
The two protesters were forced into a waiting police vehicle which took them away.
 The police, thereafter, dismantled the protest and chased away the protesters.
Earlier before his arrest, Akande had called on Lagos State and Federal Government to fix the expressway “because the road has become a death trap to all and sundry in the area.”
“At present, nobody wants to come to Badagry because of the deplorable state of the expressway.
“We are here today to make sure that Governor Sanwo-Olu, President Buhari and all stakeholders know that the road in Badagry has become a shame.
“We are youths, we are Badagrians and we are not against the sovereignty of the country. We believe in one Nigeria.
“We are out to get the government to fix the road,” he said.
One of the protesters, Mr Ovi Kuponu, said the protest was staged to draw government’s attention to the terrible state of Badagry expressway.

“We are only calling the attention of Lagos State and Federal Government to help us fix Badagry-Lagos expressway.
“We have refused to keep silent in the face intimidation, we will not be silent.
“It is unfortunate that when good people are silent, then evil people will prevail,” he said.
The protesters carried various placards with inscriptions such as; “President Muhammadu Buhari Give Us Good Road”; “Gov. Sanwo-Olu Give Badagry People Good Road”; “Our Businesses Are Dying.”
Lagos State Government is responsible for the Iganmu – Okokomaiko section of the highway, while FERMA is handling Okokomaiko – Agbara axis of the road.
Also, the Federal Government on October 24, 2018 awarded the reconstruction of the 46km Agbara – Seme section of Badagry expressway to CGC Nigeria Limited at a sum of N63.2 billion.
The contractor had since abandoned the project.