Police deny Take-It-Back protesters access to Lagos Assembly

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on Monday blocked protesters from reaching the Lagos State Assembly complex, where they intended to submit a letter containing their demands.

The Take-It-Back Movement, along with other civil society organisations, spearheaded the ongoing protest to draw attention to pressing national issues, including the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, and what they described as a “state of emergency” in Rivers State.

The protesters had earlier gathered at the Ikeja Under Bridge as they displayed placards with a series of inscriptions to express their grievances.

They, however, embarked on a procession to the state assembly complex where they met armed policemen who had mounted a roadblock some meters away from the entrance.

Irked by their presence, the protesters insisted on presenting their letter.

This lasted for about two hours as no one showed up to address them.

The national coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, while addressing newsmen accused the security operatives of violating their rights to protest.

He said, “The policemen are preventing us from accessing the house of assembly. It is the people’s assembly, so why are they blocking it? They are impeding our constitutional rights to movement, peaceful assembly, and protest.”

Sanyaolu also demanded the release of protesters who were allegedly arrested in some parts of the country where the protest was held.

While describing the demonstration as a warning action, Sanyaolu declared that another protest would come up in August should the government fail to meet their demands.

He said, “Currently, protesters have been arrested in Abuja after they were violently dispersed. We are calling for the immediate release of the protesters arrested in Abuja, Yobe, Gombe and Rivers States. This is a warning action and we going back to remobilise by the time we get back in August, we will shake the entire country and the entire world.

“We want the federal government to stop the Cyber Crime Act, the emergency rule in Rivers State, the demolition of houses in Oworonshoki and other parts of Lagos State and stop the trial of those who are being charged for treason after the #Endbadgovernance protest.”