BREAKING: Sowore Declared Wanted
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, has declared fiery human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, wanted over what the CP described as “public disturbance” linked to protests against the illegal demolition of houses in Oworonshoki community, Lagos.
Speaking at the scene of the demolition on Monday, Jimoh accused Sowore of allegedly storming Lagos to “instigate unrest” and mobilise residents against the state government’s controversial demolition exercise.
Witnesses Said that the protesters, mostly displaced families, were chanting solidarity songs and demanding that the government halt further demolitions and provide alternative shelter.
In a video on Monday, the police commissioner said:
“I hereby, as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Police Command, declare Sowore wanted. I declare him wanted for the act of causing disturbance of public peace and an attempt to commit serious felony by planning and putting all the plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge to cause hardship for Lagosians and other Nigerians. We will not allow this to happen.”
The demolition in Oworonshoki has drawn widespread outrage, with civil rights groups accusing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration of unleashing “state-sponsored homelessness” on poor residents.
Videos circulating online show bulldozers tearing through residential buildings and shops as armed policemen supervised the operation.
Earlier, police officers fired teargas canisters to disperse residents and activists who had gathered to protest what they called the “illegal and inhuman demolition” of their homes by officials of the Lagos State Government.
It was learnt that fiery human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and land owners in Oworonshoki were attacked by the personnel of the Lagos State Police Command.
The protest on Monday was led by the Take It Back movement.
SaharaReporters learnt that the police contingent began to use teargas massively as soon as Sowore arrived the scene of the rally and was finding his way to meet the protesters.
Sowore had made good on his promise to attend the protest since last week soon after he was released from the Kuje prison in Abuja.
His illegal arrest and detention in Abuja followed the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest that was held in Abuja on October 20, leading Abuja to a shutdown.
SaharaReporters learnt that the Lagos Police Commissioner, Moshood Jimoh, was seen earlier on the day directing several policemen to stop Sowore at all cost.
The CP Jimoh had threatened Sowore last week Monday not to come to Lagos for the protest but the activist replied that he would come to Oworonsoki today (Monday) and he made good on that promise.
Sowore later left the scene after raising the suspicion that the IGP had given specific instructions to some policemen to kill him at the scene of the protest.
He later addressed his followers on Facebook live condemning the police and explaining that this was the reason Nigeria is in a mess and attracting outsiders like US president, Donald Trump to help save it.
