By Munachimso Obienyi.
The Lagos State Police Command has warned that it will not tolerate any form of the rally at the Lekki Tollgate, in conformity with an order from a court of competent jurisdiction that barred citizens from converging at that location.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, where he maintained that no form of the rally will be allowed at the Lekki Tollgate on October 1, 2022.
Hundeyin said that the purpose of the statement is to enlighten Nigerians that might be misled into converging at the tollgate.
It will be recalled that on September 28, the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court ruled that the planned rally by Peter Obi supporters, tagged #Obidatti23 Forward Ever, scheduled for October 1 in Lagos cannot hold at the Lekki toll gate in the state.
The Presiding Judge, Daniel Osiagor, in the ruling ordered the organisers of the rally not to gather at the toll gate, their planned convergence point.
The judge also directed the Inspector General of Police and the Lagos State Police Commissioner to ensure compliance with the order.
Osiagor, however, said the rally can march through the toll plaza and continue to other locations.
Hundeyin said the state police command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring total compliance with the court order and an emplacement of adequate security in the state.
The statement reads, “It has become imperative to reemphasise that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate on October 1, 2022.
“This emphasis has become necessary to enlighten Nigerians that might be misled into converging at the toll gate. A court of competent jurisdiction has ruled that no person is allowed to converge at the Lekki Toll gate for whatever reason.
In conformity with its mandate to protect life and property, the Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, will leave no stone unturned in ensuring total compliance with the court order and an emplacement of adequate security in the state.
While the Command is not averse to the peoples’ right to freedom of assembly and association; and expression, the command will equally 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 rally or procession”.
The statement further added that anyone found flouting the court order or infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
