Police Warn It Will ‘ Neutralise’ Any #ENDSARS Protests In Lagos, Oyo

The Lagos and Oyo State Police commands have warned those planning to stage street protest to commemorate one year anniversary of #ENDSARS to drop the idea.

The anniversary is expected to hold on Wednesday, October 20.

The Lagos State Police Command in a statement by its PRO, Adekunle Ajisebutu said the command would only allow indoor and virtual events in commemoration of the #EndSARS.

He said the police are willing to provide adequate security at the venue of such events.

The statement read,“In view of the conflicting interest between the pro and anti-EndSARS anniversary groups and threat to cause mayhem, the Command once again warns both groups against any form of street protest between now and 20th October 2021 and beyond.

“It is acknowledged that citizens have the right to peaceful protests. However, in this instance, having carried out a critical security assessment and intelligence report at the disposal of the Lagos Command in respect of the planned protests and attendant implications on public safety, the command considers it inappropriate to allow such protests to hold. It will not stand aloof and allow breakdown of law and order which the protests may cause.

“To avoid a recurrence of the gory protests of last year during which some innocent Nigerians including police officers were gruesomely murdered, private and public property plundered and maliciously destroyed, ​the police will not abdicate their responsibilities of protection of lives and property by allowing such avoidable incident happen again in the state.

“Therefore, in the interest of security and public safety, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, wishes to warn the organisers of the protests that the police will deploy all legitimate means to stop or neutralise the planned protests.”

The PPRO of Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, said it was in possession of an intelligence that some groups were planning to stage large scale violent protest.

It however warned that such would not be allowed because the stage could not afford further loss of lives and massive destruction of property such that was witnessed during the #ENDSARS 2020.

“The Oyo State Police Command through intelligence availed to it has unraveled clandestine plans by groups of misguided people to embark on large scale violent protests in parts of the state in commemoration of one year anniversary of the unfortunate October ENDSARS saga.

“Consequent upon this, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, CP Ngozi Onadeko fdc, is appealing to individual(s), groups and most importantly architects of these sinister plans, to have a rethink as the command would not hesitate to use any legitimate means necessary within the ambit of the law to enforce sanity and prevent needless loss of lives and wanton destruction of private and public properties including critical government infrastructures which could emanate from the proposed protests,” it stated.