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Tag: Lekki Toll Gate

  • Mohbad: Police narrates incident at Lekki Toll Gate

    Mohbad: Police narrates incident at Lekki Toll Gate

    The Lagos State Police Command has said at no time did its officers use live ammunition to disperse fans who gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate for Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad on Thursday.

    According to the Police, organizers of the candlelight procession for Mohbad agreed that the procession would end at 8:00 pm latest and should terminate at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island.

    “It was clearly stated for the avoidance of doubt that in the interest of all Lagosians and considering the heavy use of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Lekki Toll Gate would be a no-go area,” a statement by SP Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, reads.

    The Police, however, expressed shock that contrary to the agreement reached, certain Mohbad’s fans converged at the Lekki Toll Gate, where incidents that occurred during EndSARS protest are still fresh in mind.

    “Having gone down this road before, having learnt from previous similar encounters, and having studied the pattern in the crowd, the red flags and early warning signs of total chaos and anarchy were discernible,” the Police stated.

    In the statement, Hundeyin stressed that only teargas was fired to disperse the crowd that gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate after the candlelight procession had terminated at Muri Okunola.

    The statement by the Lagos Police reads in full: “The Lagos State Police Command is fully aware of false narratives making the rounds in relation to the dispersal of crowds at the Lekki Toll Gate yesterday, September 21, 2023.

    “It is instructive to note that the Lagos State Police Command had an agreement with the organizers of the candle light procession that the procession was to end at 8pm latest and should terminate at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island. It was clearly stated for avoidance of doubt that in the interest of all Lagosians and considering the heavy use of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Lekki Toll Gate would be a no-go area.

    “It, however, became disconcerting that after the procession duly ended at Muri Okunola park as agreed, with the police providing optimal security all through, some persons started gathering at the Lekki Toll Gate with intent to manifest objectives extraneous to the #justiceforMohbad initiative.

    “Being a clear violation of the laid down agreement, the Lagos State Police Command invited the procession organizers who came back and joined the officers on ground in persuading the people at the toll gate to disperse peacefully.

    “The organizers equally sent out messages on social media asking everyone to go home, clarifying in clear terms that it was not a protest but a procession which had been successfully concluded.

    “This persuasion and appeal went on for hours, to which the police and organizers met defiance, both in words and action. At this point, all lanes in and out of Lekki had been totally blocked. Vehicular movement on the ever-busy expressway had been brought to a total standstill, leading to traffic build up.

    “Having gone down this road before, having learnt from previous similar encounters, and having studied the pattern in the crowd, the red flags and early warning signs of total chaos and anarchy were discernible.

    “Therefore, in fulfillment of our mandate to protect life and property, maintain law and order and prevent crimes, we adopted the least harmful method of crowd dispersal, following the failure of verbal persuasion – the use of teargas. Not a single live ammunition was fired! The police adopted crowd management best practices in engaging the unruly crowd. No life was lost neither was there any injury.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, hereby warns mischief makers that any person or group of persons found disturbing the peace of the state, under whatever guise, would be promptly arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    “The Lagos State Police Command also appreciates the procession organizers for keeping faith with the Command and assures all supporters of #justiceforMohbad and Lagosians at large that it would continue to prioritize their safety and security at all times.

    “Meanwhile, the ongoing investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Mr Ilerioluwa Aloba is progressing well. The general public are, therefore, requested to avoid creating unnecessary distractions and give the Command the stable internal security space to undertake a conclusive and timeous investigation.

    “In this process, it should be noted that the Lagos State Police Command has, as promised, been interfacing closely and regularly with all meaningful support groups of #justiceforMohbad. This synergy shall be sustained while the general public are assured that they would be continually updated on the progress of the investigation”.

  • [Video] #EndSARS has never been a political movement – Falz

    [Video] #EndSARS has never been a political movement – Falz

    Popular artist Folarin Falana, known by his stage name Falz, has disclosed that the #EndSARS has never been a political movement.

    He stated this at the ongoing #EndSARS memorial procession at the Lekki toll gate, Lagos state.

    Falz expressed displeasure at the October 20, 2020 event, stating that those who committed the gruesome crime have not been brought to book because they continue to deny it.

    See  video below:

     

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  • [TRENDING VIDEO] #EndSARS: Watch young camerawoman running for her dear life as police open fire @Lekki tollgate

    [TRENDING VIDEO] #EndSARS: Watch young camerawoman running for her dear life as police open fire @Lekki tollgate

    TRENDING! Watch young camerawoman running for her dear life as police fired teargas @Lekki tollgate

    Trending online right now is young camerawoman running for her dear life as police fired teargas at EndSars protesters at Lekki Tollgate.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports background noise could be heard as a protester shouts “they have started shooting.

    WATCH:

     

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  • Coffins, Flowers, Surface At #EndSARS Memorial Procession (Photos)

    Coffins, Flowers, Surface At #EndSARS Memorial Procession (Photos)

    Some participants at the second #EndSARS Memorial Procession showed up with dummy coffins, flowers and stained Nigerian flags.

    The procession passed through the Lekki Tollgate, the scene of the killings that took place on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.

    See photos:

  • No rally would be allowed at Lekki Toll Gate – Lagos Police

    No rally would be allowed at Lekki Toll Gate – Lagos Police

    The Police Command in Lagos State says no rally will be tolerated at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 1.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Friday.

    He said, “It has become imperative to reemphasise that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow.

    “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, he said.

    Hundeyin said that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi has warned that anyone who disobeyed the court order would be prosecuted.

    “In conformity with its mandate to protect life and property, CP 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 rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons.

    “The warning therefore goes that anyone found flouting the court order or infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

    According to the spokesperson, the CP enjoins all peace loving persons to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation, as adequate security have been deployed to ensure the safety of Nigerians.

    Alabi, he said, had reiterated that adequate security assets had been strategically deployed to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians at designated rally venues and across the state at large.

  • No rally will be allowed at Lekki Toll Gate, Police warn

    No rally will be allowed at Lekki Toll Gate, Police warn

     The Police Command in Lagos State says no rally will be tolerated at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 1.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Friday.

    He said, “It has become imperative to reemphasise that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow.

    “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, he said.

    Hundeyin said that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi has warned that anyone who disobeyed the court order would be prosecuted.

    “In conformity with its mandate to protect life and property, CP 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 rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons.

    “The warning therefore goes that anyone found flouting the court order or infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

    According to the spokesperson, the CP enjoins all peace loving persons to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation, as adequate security have been deployed to ensure the safety of Nigerians.

    Alabi, he said, had reiterated that adequate security assets had been strategically deployed to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians at designated rally venues and across the state at large.

  • Peter Obi’s supporters barred from holding rally at Lekki Toll Gate

    Peter Obi’s supporters barred from holding rally at Lekki Toll Gate

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has barred supporters of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party from holding their obi-dient movement rally at the Lekki Toll Gate.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the court, however, ruled that the supporters can march through the Lekki Toll Gate to access Falomo Bridge and other venues at which the rally plans to meet.

    Justice Daniel Osiagor in his ruling also directed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, and the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alabi, to ensure compliance.

    A motion for injunction brought by 10 plaintiffs asked the court to, among others, restrain the Labour Party, its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure and their loyalists from holding the rally at the Lekki Toll Gate.

    A preliminary objection filed by the defendants seeking to stop the court from hearing the motion on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction could however not be entertained as all parties to the suit had not been served.

    The court adjourned hearing of the substantive suit to November 4, 2022.

    In the suit, 10 plaintiffs are Adedotun Ajulo Esq., Salamatu Suleiman Lewi Esq., Hakeem Ijaduola, Esq., Ogunbona Akinpelu Esq., Owolabi K. Oluwasegun, Esq., Mogbojuri Kayode Esq., Wuyep Mantim Nadom Esq., Dimimu Mabel, Esq., Kolawole Salami, Esq. and Mr. Wale Abe Lawrence.

    The 1st to 10th defendants are Obi, LP, Baba-Ahmed, Abure, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and The Governor of Lagos State.

    In the substantive suit, the plaintiffs are arguing among other things that a repeat or celebration of the “infamous” EndSARS protest of 2020 under the political guise of “#Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally” will cause a breakdown of peace and will result in post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.

  • Group calls on Lekki residents to boycott tolls at Lekki Toll Gate

    Group calls on Lekki residents to boycott tolls at Lekki Toll Gate

    Following Lekki Concession Company bid to reopen the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, a group known as Eti-Osa People’s Movement has called on Lekki residents to boycott the tolls at the Lekki Toll Gate.

     

    In a press release made on Saturday, titled, ‘Ikoyi-Lekki Bridge Toll: We won’t Pay, We can’t Pay,’ signed by the Protem Chairperson and Secretary of the movement, Barrister Ayo Ademiluyi, and Mr. Binzak Azeez, respectively, the group said that it also rejected the Greek Gift of non-commencement of tolling by the LCC until April 16.

     

    “We call on the Lekki Phase 1 Residents Association that has rejected this toll to join forces with us in this regard.

     

    “We also call for an independent Town Hall Meeting of all residents with the Lekki-Epe Estates Residents Association (LESRA) and other Stakeholders’ associations, to discuss the way forward in this struggle up to boycott of tolls at Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge on 16th April 2022 and beyond,” the statement concluded,” the statement stated.

     

    Adding: “We write to oppose the statement of the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) that it resumed tolling yesterday, 1st April 2022 “following months of engagement with key stakeholders within the Eti-Osa /Lekki-Epe area.”

     

    “We make bold to state that the only Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting open to all was the Lekki Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting held at Lekki Coliseum on Wednesday, 30th March 2022.

     

    “We assert further that the Lekki Stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting was to present Residents and Stakeholders with a “fait accompli” of an April 1st, 2022 resumption of Tolling at the Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge.

     

    “We also reject the Greek Gift of non-commencement of Tolling until 16th April 2022.

     

    “We reject the position of the LCC that the Toll Plazas ” has been a worthy part of the Eti-Osa/ Lekki-Epe ecosystem” as it will further compound the endemic traffic on the Lekki-Epe Expressway and make life unbearable for the Ikoyi-Lekki commuters.

     

    “We further disagree with the position of LCC that “it is common knowledge that the government cannot, on its own, meet all the infrastructural needs of the ever-growing population.”

     

    The group further raised four questions, “What happened to the investment of Lagos State Government into the Concession Agreement with the LCC?

     

    “Why did the Lagos State Government engage in debt buyback of the LCC in 2011? Is it the case that LCC has become non-profitable?

     

    “Why is the LCC inclined to return to tolling with Lagos State Government’s 75 percent acquisition of holding in LCC and the high IGR of Lagos State Government which is more than the GDP of 5 neighboring West African countries and 11 states of Nigeria?”

     

    It said further that the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the LCC, Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan, did not provide details of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad related abuses and other matters as established by the #ENDSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry that investigated the Lekki Massacre of October 20, 2020.

  • #EndSARS report: They wanted us to present false narratives that criminals, cultists, hoodlums, unknown gunmen operated at Lekki Toll Gate – Adegboruwa

    #EndSARS report: They wanted us to present false narratives that criminals, cultists, hoodlums, unknown gunmen operated at Lekki Toll Gate – Adegboruwa

    A member of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, says there are documents to defend the report submitted by the panel to the government.

    He said this on Friday in a statement titled ‘EndSARS Panel: I Acted on The Mandate of The Governor’, in reaction to the remarks by one of the senior counsels to the state government at the panel.

    Although he did not name the lawyer, Adegboruwa noted that the legal practitioner asked Nigerians to reject the report of the panel because he (Adegboruwa) signed it and was not present at some of the sittings.

    “There are documents to back up and defend the report submitted to the governor by the panel, but I have chosen to defer to His Excellency and to await the White Paper as promised because I believe that the governor meant well in setting up the panel and giving us free hand to operate.

    “I appeal to His Excellency to continue in that note of sincerity,” said the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    “There is no minority report from the panel as the report submitted to the governor on November 15, 2021, was unanimously endorsed by all members of the panel, who worked tirelessly, day and night, to serve the government and the people, even at great risks to their health, personal safety, career and family obligations, and their general well-being.

    “I’m very sure that panel members would have been lionised to the highest heavens if we had bought into the narrative of the government before the panel that it was criminals, cultists, hoodlums, and unknown gunmen that operated at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.”

    Adegboruwa explained that he served on the panel on the mandate of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who told him on the telephone that he was chosen to represent the civil society.

    He said he later requested an approval which was granted in writing, that his appointment was on a part-time basis.

    The governor, the lawyer narrated, told him that two members were chosen to represent the civil society on the panel to ensure one of them would always be present at the panel to excuse the absence of the other.

    “I accepted the appointment in good faith, to serve the people, to calm frayed nerves at the time, and also to restore normalcy to Lagos State,” he said. “So, at all times, I functioned in partnership with my colleague from civil society, and there was no major sitting of the panel in which both of us were absent.

    “I also served on the panel free of charge, from October 19, 2020, when the panel was inaugurated till November 15, 2021, when the panel submitted its report. The government was well aware of my identity, my perspectives, my philosophies and my general convictions, at least since my university days, before it nominated me into the Panel, that I will always say things the way they are.

    “All Panel members acted in good faith, independently and in the fear of God Almighty. My principled struggles in respect of toll fee collection started way back from 2011, almost nine years before the Panel was inaugurated.

    “Indeed, the governor said that these were the factors that favoured my selection as a member of the panel. Will I then deny myself, forfeit my reputation and discredit my constituency, my colleagues in the Nigerian Bar Association, and comrades in civil society, in order to please anybody or cover up the truth? NEVER!”

    According to Adegboruwa, it is improper to subject the report of the panel and the integrity of its members to media trials and attacks.

    He added that it would be uncharitable for the same government that urged the panel not to be held down by strict rules of technicalities of law in order to unravel the real truth about the Lekki tollgate incident, to now through its counsel and talk about alleged legal discrepancies to frustrate the good work of the panel that it set up.

    “I urge the government to focus on the findings and far-reaching recommendations contained in the report, in order to pursue the laudable objectives of setting up the panel to achieve true healing and reconciliation, instead of seeking to demonise panel members and their report or to evade responsibility,” the senior advocate said.

  • #EndSARS Anniversary: Police arrest two protesters during memorial procession at Lekki Toll Gate

    #EndSARS Anniversary: Police arrest two protesters during memorial procession at Lekki Toll Gate

    Two persons have been arrested during a car procession ongoing at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos State.

    The police arrested the two men on Wednesday morning amid the parade organised to mark the one-year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.

    “I did not do anything,” said one of the young men before his arrest. “They beat me, they collected my phone, they took my money; the police have not learnt their lessons.”

    Shortly after they were arrested, both men were taken into a waiting truck of the Lagos State Task Force, after which the vehicle zoomed off.

    While the police are stationed at the tollgate for security purposes, officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) are maintaining a free flow of traffic.

    One of the protesters was arrested while talking to reporters who were at the tollgate to cover the procession. Before this, there was an altercation between some members of the press and the security officials.