Police ban protests, gatherings in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has banned all forms of protest and gathering in the state following reported cases of violent attacks visited by hoodlums on innocent people including police officers and men on official duty.

The police also vowed to enforce the 24-hour curfew declared in the state by Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu with effect from 4pm of Tuesday October 20 with a warning that it will not spare anyone found violating the stay-at-home order.

Nineteen policemen attached to the Rapid Respond Squad of the Nigeria Police Force were said to have been seriously wounded on Monday on Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo-Yaba, when hoodlums swooped on about 97 of them being conveyed to their various duty posts at 10am.

Four police vehicles were also reportedly damaged in the assault that saw the attacked police take to their feet to avoid being killed.

A police station at Orile Iganmu was this morning torched by armed thugs.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, read, “Due to the new development of violent attacks on police officers and men and formations including innocent Nigerians in Lagos State, and the 24-hour curfew imposed by the Lagos State Government with effect from 4pm of today 20th October, 2020, the Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that henceforth no protest or gathering or procession, under whatever guise, is permitted within Lagos State.

“In the light of the above, all security agencies have deployed adequate personnel to take charge and enforce the curfew across the state.

“In the same vein, the command regrets to confirm the setting ablaze of Orile Police State today at about 10am, where some of our policemen were critically injured and unconfirmed reports state that one of them is dead.

“It’s crystal clear that the EndSARS protest has been hijacked by hoodlums who want to run down the state and the police command will resist such state of anarchy, unrest and brouhaha with all powers within the ambit of the law.

“While the command is resolute in sustenance of human rights and democratic tenets, the general public is hereby warned to comply with the curfew and desist from any act of violence in the state as the command will resist such in totality.”

Meanwhile, armed soldiers have taken over the security at the Lagos airport after the invasion of the place on Monday by #EndSARS protesters, who grounded activities there.