Omoyele Sowore
Picnews
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and former presidential candidate, has been declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command. The declaration was made by the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, who accused Sowore of planning to incite public disturbance and obstruct major roads in the state. Specifically, the police claim Sowore and his associates planned to stage demonstrations at strategic locations, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Lekki Tollgate, and Freedom Park.
Sowore, however, has faulted the police’s declaration, stating that it’s an attempt to silence him and distort the facts surrounding the events in Oworonshoki, where police officers had earlier disrupted a planned gathering. He expressed readiness to meet with the police commissioner to address the issue, despite repeated attempts to contact him being ignored. Sowore described the declaration as a result of the police commissioner’s inability to execute a “shoot on sight” order given by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The police have deployed officers across key areas of Lagos, with temporary roadblocks and diversions in place to protect critical infrastructure. Thirteen suspects have already been arrested in connection with the planned protest. The police commissioner warned that anyone attempting to block roads or cause disturbance would face the full weight of the law, emphasizing that intelligence reports indicated Sowore and his associates planned to stage demonstrations.
The declaration has sparked controversy, with Sowore’s supporters and civil rights groups accusing the government of suppressing dissent and violating human rights. The controversy surrounding Sowore’s declaration is linked to the demolition exercise in Oworonshoki, which has been met with widespread criticism and allegations of state-sponsored homelessness. The Lagos State Government maintains that the demolition was part of an urban renewal program and that affected residents were duly compensated .
