True to its promise, the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), late on Saturday morning, July 3, 2021, stormed the Ojota area of Lagos for the Yoruba Nation’s rally.
Hundreds of Yoruba Nation agitators turned out for the rally even though the scheduled venue, the Gani Fawehinmi Park, had been blocked by security operatives.
From early in the morning, more than 30 patrol vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police, the DSS, TASKFORCE and OP MESA (military) were parked around the park.
The service lane of the Ojota-Ikorodu road was blocked by some of the vehicles, forcing commercial vehicles coming from Ketu to Maryland to take the expressway.
At 7:15 a.m. the leader of the security team, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who refused to be mentioned, said: “Pressmen, nothing is happening here. It is just only police operation here. You can go out of here. We are with the media.”
However, Yoruba Nation protesters stormed the venue in their numbers when Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, was addressing journalists around noon. Among them were female traditionalists dressed in their white attire, who joined in chanting “Oduduwa Nation Now!”, “Yoruba Nation Now!”
Immediately after Odumosu left, the Police cannon trucks sprayed water on the protesters, then came a heavy rain of tear-gas.
The protesters fled in different directions before regrouping at the nearby Ojota bridge.
The IOO chieftain who led the group had argued in vain for police protection and to allow them meet at Gani Fawehinmi Park, insisting that the rally is in exercise of their fundamental human rights.
Security agents had on Friday organised a show of force at the venue, with the Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, saying that the exercise was to confirm their preparedness and commitment to the protection of lives and property of residents in Lagos State.
His words: “A warning signal to the organisers of the said mega rally or any group of persons planning to stage any rally or procession in the state despite the warnings issued during the joint press briefing by the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, on Thursday.
“The command and the government of Lagos State has warned the organisers of the planned Oodua Republic Mega Rally, scheduled for Saturday, July 3, at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, to steer clear of Lagos State, considering available intelligence reports on the planned rally and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
“The command and other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and Department of State Services have, however, put measures in place to prevent any act of lawlessness, oppression and intimidation of any kind in the state.”
Security Operatives teargassed the protesters but the defiant protesters have refused to back down.
•Partly based on a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
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