Hoodlums attack: Protesters kick as police defend using tear gas

Amid multiple reports of attacks on protesters in Lagos by suspected hoodlums on Wednesday, the Lagos State Police Command said it fired teargas to prevent miscreants from hijacking the demonstration.

The Command said its personnel provided security coverage for members of the Take It Back Movement throughout the procession, from Maryland to Odo Iya Alaro and back to Maryland.

Third Lens reports that members of the TIB converged on the Maryland area of Lagos on Wednesday to protest economic hardship, insecurity, poor minimum wage, among other issues.

Shortly after the protest began in the morning, videos circulated online showing some persons disrupting the demonstration and dragging protest banners, with police officers present amid the scuffle.

“We have just been attacked by thugs,” a protester, identified simply as Excel, told our reporter.

A video posted by the TIB on X showed a man with injuries on his hands and face.

“They pointed gun at me on protest ground. The police were looking at them. They were now trying to give me N3000 to go and treat myself,” the wounded protester said in the video.

“Journalists were also injured and had their phones damaged as the @PoliceNG joined the thugs in attacking peaceful #August5 protesters and members of the press in Lagos,” part of the post made by the TIB on X read.

“They are sponsored to attack peaceful protesters. This was all pre-planned,” a lawyer, Bolaji Oluwatosin, said.

However, the police denied allegations that their personnel supported the hoodlums, saying they acted to prevent the protest from being hijacked.

In response to enquiries from Third Lens, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said some hoodlums attempted to infiltrate and hijack the protest.

She said the attempt was “promptly curtailed” by police personnel at the scene.

“The Command personnel provided security coverage for the protesters throughout the procession, from Maryland to Odo Iya Alaro and back to Maryland. Our personnel remained with the protesters from start to finish to ensure a peaceful and orderly exercise,” the statement read.

The PPRO said the Area Commander supervised the operation and ensured that the protesters were protected and that the procession was not attacked or hijacked by miscreants.

According to her, the firing of teargas was a “measured crowd-control response” following the attempted disruption.

“The firing of tear gas was a measured crowd-control response to restore normalcy and prevent a breakdown of law and order following the attempted disruption. It was not directed at peaceful protesters but was necessary to forestall the hijack of the protest and to ensure the safety of the protesters, other road users, and members of the public,” she added.

Meanwhile, some lawyers have condemned the reported attack on the protesters.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, LIDD, whose members joined the protest, described the demonstration as peaceful “until it was violently disrupted by suspected sponsored thugs.”

The statement, signed by the group’s Public Relations Officer, Joseph Aliu, said, “Disturbingly, police officers present failed to intervene to protect peaceful protesters. We also observed that an individual identified by protesters as ‘Pepper’ was briefly apprehended by the police but released moments later, after which he allegedly resumed his disruptive activities.”

The LIDD “strongly condemns the attack on peaceful protesters and the apparent failure of the police to discharge their constitutional duty to protect citizens exercising their fundamental rights.”

The group added, “We are documenting the events of today and will commence appropriate legal proceedings against the Lagos State Police Command and the individual identified as ‘Pepper’ to ensure accountability.”