Police Display Show of Force Ahead Of Saturday’s Protest

Police Display Show of Force Ahead Of Saturday’s Protest.

In what appears to be an attempt to forestall another round of protests in Lagos, armed police officers were on Friday spotted at the Lekki toll gate.

While speaking with SaharaReporters, a source, who works in Lekki confirmed the heavy presence of police at the toll plaza.

Also, a tweet by the Lagos State Police Command II (rrslagos767) on Friday, said it had deployed operatives to the toll gate, Ikoyi, Jakande Roundabout, and Eti Osa areas of the state, led by the head of the Rapid Response Squad, Yinka Egbeyemi.

The RRS shared pictures from the exercise on Twitter, stating that the show of force was done to deter crime as well as boost the morale of the officers in the areas.

The tweet read, “CSP Yinka Egbeyemi is presently leading a team of police officers on a show of force to Lekki Toll Gate (Admiralty Plaza) Obalende, Ikoyi, Jakande Roundabout, and other areas in Eti Osa as part of efforts to deter crime as well as boost the morale of his officers in the areas.”

CSP Yinka Egbeyemi is presently leading a team of police officers on a show of force to Lekki Toll Gate (Admiralty Plaza) Obalende, Ikoyi, Jakande Roundabout, and other areas in Eti Osa as part of efforts to deter crime as well as boost the morale of his officers in the areas. pic.twitter.com/i8fXWrlN4m

— Lagos State Police Command II (@rrslagos767) February 12, 2021

The plan to #OccupyLekkiTollGate came after the controversial ruling of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki toll gate.

The panel, headed by 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.

The ruling was supported by five members out of the nine-man panel, with the remaining four members, including Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), dissenting to the ruling.

Following the decision of the panel, some Nigerians vowed to protest at the tollgate on Saturday, February 13, 2021, from 7 am.

But the police in Lagos on Thursday warned residents against such protest.

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said ‘security agencies will not fold their arms’ as youths plan fresh protests against police brutality and extortion.