#OccupyLekkiTollGate: Activists Insist on Protest as Police Read Riot Act
#OccupyLekkiTollGate: Activists Insist on Protest as Police Read Riot Act …Say they are Opposed to Collection of Blood Money by Lagos Govt …Claim Judicial Panels Have Not Delivered Any...
#OccupyLekkiTollGate: Activists Insist on Protest as Police Read Riot Act
…Say they are Opposed to Collection of Blood Money by Lagos Govt
…Claim Judicial Panels Have Not Delivered Any Justice
…Accuse Govt of Not Providing Jobs, Yet Banning Cryptocurrency
…It’s an Attempt to Cause Massive Destruction of Lives, Property…Police
Organisers of the planned protest at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, say they are resolved on going ahead with their action in spite of stern warning by the Police. They say their protest slated for Saturday, February 13th, 2021, is largely fired by the ban on cryptocurrency accounts among other reasons. But the Police have strongly warned the organisers to desist from their action, saying it is a recipe to cause mayhem, pandemonium and the destruction of lives and properties.
In a press statement on Thursday titled, ‘EndSARS Season 2; Why we will #OccupyLekkiTollGate on Saturday, the campaigners say the cause of the planned protest is beyond the ruling of the Lagos State Judicial Panel probing alleged killings of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020 which asked that operations should be resumed.
The organisers explained that they are undaunted by threats by security operatives and counter-protesters under the aegis of #DefendLagos.
The statement read, “After committing genocide by killing scores of people who were peacefully protesting at Lekki Toll Gate and other parts of Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu and other oppressors wants to spit on the dead and dance on the blood of the innocent by reopening the yahoo gate to be collecting their blood money as again.
“We say NO! We are undaunted! We will be occupying Lekki Tollgate again starting from Saturday February 13. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to storm back all the barricades as our rulers have shown that they can never change. Since the #EndSARS, they are yet to effect any of the promises. Police brutality is still raging and SARS is still operating.
“Despite overwhelming and highly compelling evidence showing how several protesters were shot by the military, no single military personnel has been brought to book.
“Deaths have been established and many victims of the Lekki shootings have surfaced, yet neither the victims nor families of our deceased colleagues have got justice.
“After close to five months of sitting, the judicial panel meant to inquire into the Lekki massacre has refused to deliver justice to victims of the massacre most of whom have either lost their limbs due to gun wounds or have become deceased.
“Government has refused to provide employment for young people, yet they went ahead to ban the most promising source of income of young people; cryptocurrency.
“Nigerians are extremely poorer and yet the cost of food is on the high side with increased cost of electricity that only produces darkness. Petrol price is being increased as marketers want it at N190 per litre.
“Nigerians are no longer secured in any part of the country; when they are not being harassed or extrajudicially murdered by Police, they are being kidnapped, maimed and killed by bandits.
“Today, the life of cows has become more valuable than those of Nigerians even as our streets and communities have fallen to the rule of kidnappers and bandits.
“The Nigerian government now negotiates and enriches terrorists and bandits while chasing after, arresting, shooting and killing protesters.
“It is to this end that we call on you all to come out enmasse to demand not just justice for victims and fallen heroes of the October 20 killings but that all involved in this heinous criminality be brought to book. Come out to demand the right to life and to exist in a country that respects our rights as citizens, abhors Police brutality/extrajudicial killings, provides us with security, decent jobs with good wages and other such socio-economic rights that come with being a citizen.”
However, the Lagos State Police Command has warned against any gathering, protest or procession in any part of the state.
At a briefing on Thursday, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, the Commissioner of Police, warned those behind the #OccupyLekkiTollGate protest to desist from their planned action..
The plan to #OccupyLekkiTollGate came after the ruling of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki Toll Gate.
The panel, headed by Mrs Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge, on Saturday ruled in favour of the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to repossess the toll plaza for repairs and insurance claims.
Worried by the development, some Nigerians scheduled Saturday, February 13, 2021, for a protest at the tollgate.
But Odumosu said such demonstration, whether peaceful or violent, will not be allowed to take place.
“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 organising 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 properties 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) from the aftermath of the last EndSARS violence that left many lives and properties lost. It is therefore not reasonable to allow 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 Covid-19 virus which makes 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 of social distance. In addition, the judgement pronounced on the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gate plaza has been misconceptualized 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 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,” he said.
Odumosu asked parents and guardians to discourage their children or wards from embarking on any protest in the state.
Meanwhile, the Eti-Osa Bar Forum is set to sue the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Compensation and Restitution for Victims of SARS-RELATED Abuses and Other Related Matters over the 6th February, 2021 Proceedings wherein an Order of Repossession was granted to the Lekki Concession Company for insurance claims, repairs and renovations and resumption of business.
This was made known in a statement issued by Mr Yakubu Eleto, publicity secretary of the forum.
On the #OccupyLekkiTollGates protest, the forum is of the view that both Anti-Lekki Toll Gate protesters and #DefendLagos protesters have fundamental rights to freedom of assembly. The forum is of the view that instead of the Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed and the security agencies threatening protesters, the protesters should be protected by security agencies during the course of their protests in order to avoid breakdown of law and order.
The Forum also appeals to the Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to advise the Lagos State Government against the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gates for full business, given the fact that the Panel was not clothed with jurisdiction in delivering same.
The forum is of the view that instead of resorting to threatening fire and brimstone against #OccupyLekkiTollGate protesters, the government should engage in constructive engagement and dialogue with all stakeholders resolving the meat of the matter itself bordering on injustices committed 20th October, 2020 massacre and other sundry issues, as a repeat of such errors will not be tenable on 13th February, 2021.
It will be recalled that while the forum is not part of the organisers of the current #OccupyLekkiTollGate protests, it spearheaded the #OccupyLekkiTollGates protests on February 7 , 2018 when the Lekki Concession Company increased the Toll Fees.
While condemning every planned repression against the #OccupyLekkiTollGate protesters who are set to embark on their action on February 13, 2021, the organisation says if the security agencies toe their usual line of crackdown, harassment and arrests, the forum will be running a Legal Aid Clinic and Situation Room to provide legal representation on their behalf
