The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has said the police is ready to protect those who may want to embark on protests or procession in the state to mark one year anniversary of #EndSARS protests.
Odumosu had earlier in the week said the police will not allow the organisation of any form of rally or public rally to mark the first anniversary of #EndSARS protest in Lagos State.
But speaking to journalists when he was monitoring the Peoples Democratic Party state congress election at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos on Saturday, Odumosu said the protesters have the right to protest and be protected by the police.
Odumosu said that what the police were advocating was for those who want to organise such protest to work together and have a meeting point.
He said: “If you want to protest, it is your right under the law but you don’t have to block the road because in the process of obstructing the road, you are no longer protesting for better life for people.
“However, what happens to pregnant women on emergency, what happens to collapsed buildings, fire incident when the roads are blocked?
“Don’t forget that this is Lagos, it is the economy of the country and it is equally a working day and you can imagine those lives that earn their living on a daily basis.
“There are some people that cannot to feed their families when protesters block the road definitely,” he said.
The commissioner appealed to the #EndSARS protesters to let the police know the time they want to embark on their procession so they could be provided with adequate security and to ensure free flow of traffic during the exercise.
Odumosu also commended the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP for ensuring that their state congress elections were peaceful.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC and PDP held their state congresses to elect new members for executive positions.
The commissioner said there was an impression that there would be fracas when the two political parties were holding their elections not far away from each other.
He said: “I want to thank the leadership of the two political parties because there was an impression that there will be fracas with the two parties holding their congresses at the same time.
“The two parties are holding their congresses two minutes trek away from each other but I commend the leaders for bringing their supporters to decorum.” – NAN.
