Lagos – Pandemonium broke out on Wednesday after operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command fired tear gas at hundreds of residents protesting the demolition of buildings in parts of the state, including Makoko and Iyana-Oworo.
The protest, which later turned chaotic, led to the arrest of the demonstration’s leader, popular activist Comrade Soweto, alongside several others, while many protesters reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The demonstration was organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing and Displacement in Lagos, in solidarity with victims of demolitions across affected communities such as Makoko, Iyana-Oworo, Otumara and Owode-Onirin.
Protesters converged under the Ikeja Bridge along Awolowo Road before marching towards Alausa Secretariat, chanting solidarity songs. They later stopped at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex, where the confrontation with security operatives occurred.
The situation degenerated outside the Assembly complex, forcing workers, passers-by and journalists to flee for safety as tear gas canisters were fired to disperse the crowd. Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Lagos is not for the rich alone” and “A megacity cannot be built on the bones and blood of the poor — end forced eviction.”
Security operatives, supported by officials of the Lagos State Task Force, reportedly blocked access to the Assembly complex around 1:30pm and fired several rounds of tear gas into the air to control the surging crowd. All entry and exit points to the state secretariat were subsequently shut to prevent a breach.
A police officer who spoke anonymously said the use of tear gas became necessary as the protesters were becoming violent. He, however, declined to disclose the exact number of arrests, confirming only that a “sizable number” of demonstrators were taken into custody.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing blood stains on the ground, indicating injuries sustained during the crackdown. Protesters also alleged excessive use of force by security personnel.
As of 3:00pm, armed security operatives were still patrolling the area to maintain calm and restore order.
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