Cynthia Ezegwu
The Lagos State Police Command has assured residents that the state remains peaceful and secure despite reports of protests in parts of the country calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, gave the assurance on Monday while addressing journalists during a “Show of Force” exercise conducted across major parts of the state, including Ikeja, Lekki, Ojota, and Maryland.
Jimoh said the operation was aimed at reassuring the public of their safety and demonstrating the readiness of the command to maintain law and order across Lagos.
“We want residents to know that they are safe and can go about their lawful businesses without fear,” he stated. “We have made proper deployments to all identifiable points where protesters used to gather in the past.”
The commissioner explained that the strategic deployments covered major flashpoints such as the Lekki Toll Gate, Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, and other key areas to deter potential troublemakers.
He stressed that while peaceful protests are allowed in a democracy, any attempt to disrupt public peace under the guise of demonstrations would not be tolerated.
“Protests are allowed anywhere in the world, but when you take the law into your hands and disrupt public peace, that is no longer a protest. We will not allow anyone to infringe on the rights of others who are going about their daily activities,” Jimoh warned.
The police chief disclosed that all divisional headquarters across the state had been directed to provide situation reports every 15 minutes to enable real-time monitoring of events.
He added that as of Monday afternoon, there had been no reports of unrest, disruption of traffic, or attacks in any part of the state.
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“Lagos is safe, peaceful, and free of any form of protest. We will continue to patrol and monitor all areas to sustain the peace residents are enjoying,” he said.
The assurance followed reports of confrontations between security forces and demonstrators in other parts of the country, where operatives fired tear gas to disperse protesters demanding Kanu’s release.
The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, convened by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and endorsed by several opposition figures, is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader, who has been in detention on charges of terrorism, treason, and incitement.
The Federal Government accuses Kanu of promoting Biafra’s secession through inflammatory broadcasts on Radio Biafra and social media, which authorities claim threaten Nigeria’s unity and national security.