In a significant display of collaboration, the Lagos state Commissioner of Police (CP), Olohundare Jimoh, and prominent human rights activist Dr. Segun Awosanya (Segalink) held a strategic meeting at the command headquarters, presenting a united front against civil disobedience and “nuisance activism.”
While the CP hailed Dr. Awosanya’s historical role in police reform, the activist, in turn, offered strong public backing for the CP’s recent firm actions, including the prevention of protests on the Third Mainland Bridge and the pursuit of a wanted individual.
Dr. Awosanya, widely recognised for his role in the genesis of the #EndSARS reform movement, passionately defended the necessity of maintaining law and order, sharply criticising those who exploit activism for financial gain or to create chaos.
“A lot of people are into activism for what they are going to get from the grants that are going to get they don’t understand the position of patriotism,” Dr. Awosanya stated.
The activist declared his group’s renewed commitment to supporting the police structure, referencing the devastating cost of previous civil disobedience in Lagos.
“We have not yet recovered from the things that have been destroyed Lawlessness, we would not allowed something that will reinforce Lawlessness because somebody has notorious value or nuisance value in our society,” he said.
He concluded by reinforcing the CP’s firm mandate: “The CP that we have today in Lagos is a no nonsense person who will leave zero chance to chaos in our city. Anyone who position themselves as being above the law will actually be proven to that the law exists.”
CP Jimoh acknowledged Dr. Awosanya as a “vanguard of change” and committed that the Lagos Command has not retreated from police reform efforts, emphasizing the need for public enlightenment and transparency.
However, the CP stressed that police-civilian dialogue must not compromise national security or critical infrastructure. He vehemently defended the command’s response to the planned protest on the Third Mainland Bridge.
“The Third Mainland Bridge is an infrastructure that is built for the taxpayers’ money. A threat to Third Mainland Bridge is a threat to the economy of Nigeria and a threat to all,” he said.
Citing his constitutional mandate (Section 215), CP Jimoh stressed his duty for pre-emptive intervention, referencing that the bridge is “not designed to carry stationary weight” and citing reports of citizens fainting during the previous incident.
Addressing the individual recently declared wanted identified as Sowore in the report the CP reiterated that the status remains active despite public attempts to engage the police, dismissing such efforts as “social media theatrics.”
“I mentioned at various times that the individual is ignorantly arrogant. Because if you are not, I’m not enforcing my own law, I’m doing the work of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
CP Jimoh insisted that the individual should submit himself to the nearest police station, concluding that Sowore “still remains a wanted person in Lagos for acts that can cause mayhem, destruction of public and private property.”
The command vowed that Lagos billions in investments would not be put at risk by “misguided” actions.
