A former Lagos State Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC) and prominent member of the Take It Back Movement, Comrade Ayoyinka Oni, has condemned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olorundare Moshood Jimoh, over what he described as the continued harassment, intimidation and targeting of human rights activists in Lagos.
Ayoyinka spoke following reports that the Lagos State Police Command has declared activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, wanted, for allegedly attempting to incite public disturbance through protests against the demolition of residential buildings in Oworonshoki, a waterfront community along the Third Mainland Bridge.
The Lagos government said the demolition was part of its urban renewal and modernization initiative, but residents and activists insist the action has rendered hundreds of families homeless without proper resettlement, forcing many to sleep in open spaces and makeshift shelters.
Ayoyinka criticized the Lagos Police Commissioner for allegedly siding with government authorities against vulnerable citizens, describing his conduct as “oppressive, undemocratic and unbecoming of a law enforcement leader.”
“Jimoh is acting like a tyrant in uniform. Instead of protecting the people, he is using the police to silence voices of conscience. Declaring Sowore wanted simply because he is calling out injustice against poor Lagosians is an abuse of office and an assault on democracy,” Ayoyinka said.
Despite earlier warnings issued by CP Jimoh, members of the Take It Back Movement and affected residents held a peaceful protest in Oworonshoki on Monday. The demonstration, which demanded government intervention and immediate relief support for displaced families, was however confronted by anti-riot police and Lagos Task Force operatives, who fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Sowore, who was not physically present at the protest, was accused by the police chief of masterminding the action, with Jimoh claiming that the activist had intended to block the Third Mainland Bridge and disrupt public movement.
“He has put all plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge. That is an act that causes serious felony and hardship to Nigerians. We are closing in on him and we will arrest him wherever he is,” CP Jimoh declared.
However, Ayoyinka dismissed the allegations as false, exaggerated and strategically framed to justify state repression.
“The protesters were peaceful. Their demands were legitimate. Instead of attending to the humanitarian crisis caused by the demolition, the police are chasing innocent citizens and activists. That is not law enforcement; that is tyranny,” he maintained.
He further called on civil society groups, labour unions, student bodies, religious leaders and international human rights organizations to pay close attention to the situation in Lagos, warning that the shrinking civic space and rising authoritarian policing pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy
