TheCable

The Lagos police command says it prevented hoodlums from hijacking the June 12 protest in the Ojota area of the state.

The police noted that the hoodlums blocked traffic at the Maryland axis with the intention of attacking motorists.

TheCable had reported how security operatives barricaded the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, venue of the June 12 protest in Lagos.

Police officers had fired several shots into the air in a bid to disperse protesters who gathered at the venue.

Speaking on the development, the Lagos police said the “proactiveness” of the command prevented the protest from being hijacked.

“The Lagos state police command, due to its proactiveness, averted the hijack of the rally at Ojota Lagos state when some hoodlums blocked the Maryland/Ikorodu expressway with the intent to attack motorists that got stuck in the artificial traffic congestion caused by the arranged blockage,” says the statement signed by Muyiwa Adejobi, Lagos police spokesperson.

“The commissioner of police, Lagos state, CP Hakeem Odumosu, in his bid to forestall any act of lawlessness, had deployed adequate personnel to strategic places and arranged for show of force across the state.

“As he personally moved round the state to assess the general security of the state, visited Lagos Island, Lekki Toll Gate, Surulere, Alausa and Ojota where he addressed the protesters on the need to be peaceful and avoid depriving other Nigerians of their human rights to free movement.

“And doing their businesses; noting that blocking the roads will only cause more harm to other innocent Nigerians and threaten the security of Lagos state.

“The Police boss engaged the protesters in a tete-a-tete for more than one hour at Ojota Lagos state assuring them of the police’s support and responsibility to provide security for them and other Nigerians.”