THE Lagos State Police Command has warned against any rally that any political party or group could have scheduled to hold at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow, October 1.
The command’s public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement he issued today via Twitter, stressed that a court of law had warned against any such rally.
RALLY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AT LEKKI TOLL GATE
It has become imperative to reemphasize that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow, October 1, 2022.
This emphasis has become necessary to enlighten Nigerians that might be misled into
— Lagos State Police Command (@LagosPoliceNG) September 30, 2022
Hundeyin said the police would leave no stone unturned in enforcing the court order.
“In conformity with its mandate to protect life and property, the Lagos State Police Command will ensure total compliance with the court order and an emplacement of adequate security in the state,” the statement read.
Explaining that while the police was not averse to the peoples’ right to freedom of assembly, association and expression, it would live up to its mandate of ensuring that “no person or group of persons is allowed to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, especially the rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons, especially under the guise of a rally.”
The statement admonished peace-loving persons to go about their duties without fear of harassment or intimidation, adding that their safety had been guaranteed.
On Wednesday, September 28, a Federal High Court ruled that supporters of the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, can only march through the popular Lekki tollgate but were not allowed to converge there for their rally.
Ten persons, including nine lawyers, had asked the court to restrain the LP, Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed; the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure; and their supporters from holding the #Obidatti23 Forward Ever rally planned for October 1 in the state.
The plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo, Salamatu Suleiman Lewi, Hakeem Ijaduola, Ogunbona Akinpelu, Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, Mogbojuri Kayode, Wuyep Mantim Nadom, Dimimu Mabel, Kolawole Salami, and Wale Abe Lawrence.
The 1st to 10th defendants were Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Governor of Lagos State.
Represented by their counsel, Dada Awosika, the plaintiffs argued that a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” would cause a breakdown of peace and result in post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.
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