3 months ago
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The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, talks on why those involved in the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, which begins today, must toe the line of peace, the command’s plan to ward off intending hijackers of the protest and more, in this interview with DEJI LAMBO and GBENGA OLONINIRAN
Large numbers of Nigerians are hungry and perplexed by the economic hardship in the country and have decided to express their grievances through the #EndBadGovernance protest, which begins nationwide today. Going by the deaths and destruction of infrastructure during the #EndSARS protests, how ready is Lagos for the protest?
We are very much ready. We are not averse to the protest. But we are ready and determined to make sure that the protest is peaceful, it’s problem-free and devoid of violence and destruction like that of #ENDSARS of 2020. Our men are out. We are going to collaborate with other sister agencies — the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other agencies like Immigration and Customs to make sure that it is largely peaceful.
Protesting is the legitimate right of citizens in a democratic dispensation, but the police have insisted on being informed before any protest is organised. What exactly is the reason for the directive?
Yes, we want to be informed because our experience has shown that most protests are hijacked by hoodlums, thereby defeating the intention of the protesters. Hoodlums will hijack the protest and use the opportunity to loot and steal valuables, as well as wreak havoc on innocent citizens. They will go on and maim people, even to the extent of killing innocent Nigerians sometimes. So, the police have to be involved because we are committed to ensuring peace and security in our public space.
Has any of the groups organising the protest officially notified the Lagos command about the forthcoming protest in the state?
Yes, one group notified the command and we invited them for a meeting. We were supposed to have the meeting but at the last minute they backed out and said they were not coming. The reason for backing out, they did not give us. So, we were becoming apprehensive, that why should they back out of the meeting if they had a genuine intention of making the protest peaceful. Calling the meeting is for us to sit down and work out the modalities for the protest: where are they taking off from? Which route are they taking? This will help us line up our officers and men on that route and make sure we block all misconduct on the road and moves to infiltrate the protesters and cause mayhem and violence. But they have not turned up for the meeting till date. The name of the group is Active Citizens Group. And I think the group is being led by Adamma Ukpabi, State Coordinator, Active Citizens Nigeria, Lagos chapter. We have been reaching her through her telephone number. She has turned down the invitation. We are still looking forward to have the meeting with her, but we have not seen her till date. Their right to peaceful protest cannot be denied. But we are insisting that the protest should be very peaceful. And that is why we have invited them for a dialogue. But where they go about not having a meeting with us before the protest, we will still carry out our duty of ensuring that protesters are protected as long as they are not violent.
As the person in charge of security in the commercial nerve centre of the country, what are your expectations from the protesters?
My expectation is that the protest will be largely peaceful and we will perform our normal duty of ensuring that the general area is peaceful, devoid of any violence, and Lagos residents are allowed to go about their normal duties while the protesters are also given adequate protection to carry out their protest. A court order has even made it very easy for us. Protesters have been asked to converge on the popular Freedom and Peace parks, so, we will be there in large numbers to give them security coverage.
So what now happens if any protest starts at another location outside the specified ones?
We will go there and politely tell them to move to the location approved by the court. At least we are all bound by the law. The court has made a pronouncement and everybody is bound to obey the order of the court. So, we will politely tell them, ‘let us obey the order of the court, let’s move to the venue and let’s make this thing peaceful.’
What if they refuse to move?
We don’t expect them to refuse. We will use all means to make them accede to our request – polite means, civilised means and professional means.
Has any group of people expressed safety concerns about the forthcoming protest in the state?
Yes. As regards safety, some of them have expressed their concerns, reflecting on the EndSARS protest of 2020, but we have told them this is not EndSARS, which was a spontaneous action that took everybody by surprise. This one, we were notified and both protesters and security agents are prepared to make sure it is peaceful. We have assured them, they should all move out and go about their normal duties. We will be there to adequately protect them.
There have been police presence at strategic locations and show of force in the state in line with the forthcoming protest, but people have described the action as a means to intimidate the protesters from executing their legitimate rights to protest? What is your take on this?
No, it’s not a means to intimidate anybody. It’s a means to tell Lagos residents and Nigerians that we are on ground and we will perform our traditional duty of ensuring there is safety and security in our public space, and we are going to provide adequate up-to-date security for them to go about their normal life activities, normal businesses and normal endeavours.
Viral videos online show hoodlums threatening traders at the popular Balogun Market not to join the protest in Lagos State. What is the Lagos command doing to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the protest?
Well, on our part, we have advised that the issue of the protest should be left to the law enforcement agencies and that members of the public should not have anything to do with the protesters. They should leave them to do what they want to do. We, as law enforcement agencies, we make sure that the act does not constitute nuisance or breach the peace in our neighbourhoods. So, I’ve said that loud and clear and I believe the members of the public will comply with that. They only perform their civic duty by informing us if there is any violence in any area. We move in quickly and subdue the violence.
What is your message to people bent on hijacking the protest and cause a breach of security in the state?
My warning to them is that they should not do it; they should desist from it because we do not tolerate it. We do not allow it. So, they should be law-abiding and allow the area to be peaceful. But if they try to do something different from that, we will apply the law on them in a very civilised manner.
On Thursday (today), Lagos residents will go out to perform their usual daily tasks but some of them voiced out their concern about their safety during the protest. What message do you have to ease people’s fears in the state?
My message is they should not entertain any fears. They should go about their normal businesses the way they have been doing. They will see us dotting everywhere. We are at areas where we think there could be likelihood of people trying to foment trouble. Our men and officers, we dot everywhere, all the parts of Lagos. And I know once they see our men everywhere, they will feel very secured. So, my advice is they should not entertain any fears. They should just go and do their work and go back to their homes safely after work.
So, going by the court order narrowing the protest to just two spots in a city as large as Lagos, does it mean that the attention of the command will just be to secure these parts?
We secure the part and secure every other place in Lagos. Every other place will be secure.
What is your advice to those who will be participating in the protest?
My advice is because they already tagged it a peaceful protest, we advise that they should stick to that word ‘peaceful’ and make the protest very peaceful.
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