EndSARS protest: Tension as heavily armed policemen are pictured displaying show of force at Lekki tollgate
- There are fears of an impending clash between protesters and police officers at the Lekki Toll Gate
- The Lagos police command disclosed why it will not permit any protest in Lekki
- The authorities said they intend to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state
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Heavily armed policemen have taken over the Lekki Tollgate to prevent protesters from converging in the area.
A group had called for demonstrations at the tollgate to express displeasure over the reopening of the facility which had been shut since the EndSARS protests last year.
But police have banned any protest at the tollgate, warning protesters to stay away in order to avoid a repeat of the last protest that led to massive destruction of lives and properties across the state.
Source: Twitter
On Friday, February 12, a heavy presence of armed policemen were spotted at the tollgate and in some parts of Lekki and other areas of the state.
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They were led by the commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Yinka Egbeyemi, in a show of force, causing tension and panic in the area.
Meanwhile, the federal government has vowed to crush violent demonstrations in the country.
Speaking on Thursday, February 11, in Abuja, the minister of culture and information, Lai Mohammed, said all security agencies have been alerted to stop any protest.
The minister's reaction was shared in a series of tweets sighted by Legit.ng on the official Twitter page of the ministry of information and culture, Nigeria.
Mohammed warned those planning any protest to block the toll gate from Saturday, February 13, to shelve it.
Similarly, the Lagos state government has advised all groups planning to embark on demonstrations in the state to shelve their plans.
Moyosore Onigbanjo, the Lagos attorney general, who issued the warning on Thursday, February 11, noted that the state government’s respect for people's rights to protest should not be taken as a licence to break the law.
According to him, the right to protest doesn't give anyone the freedom to block highways and prevent others from moving freely, The Punch reported.
Kess Ewubare is a senior political/current affairs correspondent at Legit.ng. He has both a BSc and a Master’s degree in mass communication. He has over 10 years of experience in working in several fields of mass communication including radio, TV, newspaper, and online. For Kess, journalism is more than a career, it is a beautiful way of life.
Source: Legit.ng
