The Lagos State Police Command has defended its decision to deploy tear gas against protesters demonstrating against government housing demolitions on Wednesday.
Protesters had gathered at the state House of Assembly to voice opposition to ongoing demolitions in communities including Makoko and Oworonshoki. The confrontation resulted in several injuries, including one protester who sustained a leg wound.
Speaking to journalists following the incident, Lagos Police Commissioner Olohundare Jimoh outlined his account of events, stating that officers had initially provided security for protesters as they moved from Ikeja underpass to the Assembly complex.
According to Jimoh, tensions escalated when demonstrators refused police requests to clear the main highway to allow traffic flow. He claimed protesters blocked the roadway despite repeated warnings and alleged that he personally was assaulted with stones during negotiations.
“Your right stops where other people’s own begins. We can’t allow this highway to be blocked to traffic,” Jimoh stated, emphasizing that officers had asked protesters to relocate to avoid obstructing the public road.
The Police Commissioner said four House of Assembly members addressed the crowd and promised to relay their concerns to the Assembly leadership, but protesters remained on the highway.
Jimoh maintained that tear gas was deployed only after demonstrators continued blocking traffic and allegedly pushed officers, causing some to fall. He emphasized that police avoided using firearms and employed what he termed “minimal force” to disperse the crowd.
“We used tear gas to disperse them so that millions of other Nigerians using this public highway can have access,” he explained, adding that the protest had disrupted normal activities on a working day.
The demolitions have sparked controversy across Lagos, with affected residents protesting the loss of their homes.
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