LASG pleads as protesters block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
On Friday, many commuters were stranded around the Alausa and Berger areas of Lagos as protesters blocked the Alausa section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the protesters moved from the entrance of the Lagos House of Assembly to block the highway on Friday, marking the end of a 72-hour demonstration during which the participants passed two nights in front of the assembly.
One of the protesters, Elizabeth Ogunseye, said, “We are done with the protest having spent 72 hours. We had a meeting with the House of Assembly this morning (Friday). A lot of members were for scrapping of FSARS and the Speaker closed the session with a prayer that he was in support of it. He, however, said they had to speak to the authorities first.
“We are waiting for a resolution letter on Monday from the Lagos State House of Assembly. If they fail to give us a resolution letter on Monday, by 9am on Tuesday, we will start another round of protest. We slept over there for two nights. There was no harassment because the protest was peaceful.”
The House in a resolution on Friday called for the replacement of FSARS with a new and well-structured security outfit.
The resolution was contained in a statement by Mr Tolani Abati, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, tagged, ‘Proscribe F-SARS, Secure Protesters – Lagos Assembly issues seven Demands In support of #endsarsnow.’
The statement read in part, “Among the seven-point resolution passed after an extensive deliberation was also that the Senate and the House of Representatives should carry out a probe of the allegations against F-SARS including killing, maiming and dehumanising of Nigerians.
“SARS should be proscribed and a new security outfit which will be more efficient with clearly spelt out code of conduct and rule of engagements be established while sanction is imposed for misdemeanor.
“Mr President should ensure that culpable officials of SARS receive the punishment as prescribed by the National Assembly. Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions liaise with the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General of the State to fashion out ways and means to address allegations of ruthlessness and extra judicial killings contained in the petition against SARS in the state.
“The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, should engage relevant institutions to protect lives and property in the state such that phones, laptops and other means of communication belonging to youths are not confiscated indiscriminately without warrant.”
However, the Lagos State Government appealed to protesters to remain peaceful while the authorities addressed the issue.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, in a statement on Friday said the government shared in the pains of victims of police brutality.
The statement partly read, “It is not good. The message of the protests is clear – such acts of brutality must stop. We agree. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is discussing the issue with the police authorities and hopes that the matter will be resolved in the interest of our teeming youths and in the spirit of democracy.”
In his call, the state Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, advised the demonstrators to be civil but noted that their outrage was in order and within their rights as citizens.
He said, “The tenet of the police operation is to protect the citizens. Security operatives don’t have the right to trample on the rights of law-abiding citizens, because of their unfamiliar looks, or because they are carrying laptops or iPhones. It is wrong for any police officer to expressly accuse or pronounce someone, irrespective of age, guilty because they have dreads or ride luxury vehicles.”
#punchng #endsars
