The Lagos State Police Command has banned protests and rallies in the state on October 1 – Independence Day. This was contained in a statement by the spokesman of the command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Wednesday.
The statement quoted the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, as instructing officers and men of the command “to disallow any unlawful societies, under whatever disguise, from staging rallies or protests within the state on Thursday, 1st October 2020”.
The Police boss read the riot act on Wednesday during a security meeting with the Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Heads of Department at the conference room, State Headquarters, GRA, Ikeja, according to the statement.
It added that “the command will not allow any gatherings, rallies, or protests against the sovereignty of Nigeria in the state just as he announced the cancellation of the 60th Independence anniversary parade by the Lagos State government.
READ ALSO: Nigeria at 60: Buhari makes U-turn, to give national broadcast
“CP Hakeem Odumosu according to the release also warned parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to desist from any rallies, protests or be mobilised to wage war against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or else they (parents or guardians) of any youths arrested for such activities will be prosecuted.”
The CP, however, appealed to the general public to “be law-abiding, desist from violence and any act that is capable of disrupting the sovereignty of Nigeria”.
Meanwhile, the leader of the #RevolutionNow group, Omoyele Sowore, said the planned protests would hold in Lagos and other parts of the country.
He tweeted, “#occupynigeria2 Lagos Mass Action Will hold as planned, we’ve told the @PoliceNG
Commissioner of Lagos state that he does (not have) the right to prevent Nigerians from protesting about misgovernance in their country #Revolutionnow.”