Story by Iyiola Ayomide
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Adegoke Fayoade on Thursday held a town hall meeting involving all security agencies and Stakeholders to discuss issues bothering on the planned protest by faceless individuals and groups.
The meeting themed: ‘Enhancing Community Engagement And Participation in Fostering Peace, Unity in Lagos’ held at the POWA hall, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was represented at the meeting by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos, Mobolaji Ogunlende.
The governor urged parents to talk to their children, most especially, the youths to shelve the planned protest and allow peace which has been enjoyed in Lagos to continue.
Ogunlende further stated that as citizens, everybody has a right to protest, but when it can’t be controlled or ‘we could not identify those behind the protest, then it becomes a problem, and there should not be protest instead.
“Anytime protest is been talked about, it’s always centered around the youths, it’s because youth occupy larger percentage of the population.” However, he believed the protest is about hardship and this doesn’t affect only the youths but entire citizens across the nation.
The governor later commended the security agencies led by the CP Adegoke Fayoade for being proactive as opposed to being reactive. “This shows that every single person in this hall has decided to take responsibility for what’s coming ahead irrespective of the outcome”, Ogunlende said.
“It should be noted, everybody is taking responsibility, ownership and rising to the occasion because Lagos is our home and we can’t afford to let anything happen to our home, which is the reason for gathering here to ensure all necessary steps are taken by each and everyone. It’s pertinent we remain peaceful, because united we stand, divided we fall. If we all come together like to face an issue, I am sure, there will be peace at the end of the day, the governor added.
Speaking during his remark, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Fayoade Adegoke stated that the present situation in the country shouldn’t warrant protest which could lead to disorderliness, breakdown of law and peace.
The CP further stated that the security agencies believed the protest would lead to total breakdown of law and order, and the agencies does not want that in Lagos State.
According to the number Police Officer in the state, Lagos is unarguably the economic hub of West Africa Sub Region and economic center of Nigeria, and if protest is allowed, it is going to affect Nigeria economically, socially, and Lagosians believe in peaceful co-existence, with everybody doing his business without molestation or harassment. We won’t allow anyone to disturb the peaceful co-existence enjoyed in Lagos, he said.
Also speaking, Director, Department of State Security, Lagos, Dapo Amoo, said, “you can criticize government, you can criticize establishment, the question about the protest is, they said, they intend to have a peaceful protest, but how do you determine it’s going to come out peacefully. That’s the question we should all ask ourselves.”
He recalled what happened during the EndSars protest, as Lagos most especially struggled to get out of the nostrils of that skirmish.
As you could see, the government led by Asiwaju Tinubu has appealed to the youths to further exercise little more patience, as he stated good things does not come easily, adding that government has begun the process by increasing workers salary.
The chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Comrade Funmi Sessi expressed her dissatisfaction about the protest, according to her, “this is Lagos’, I was born and bred in Lagos, many of us made money in Lagos, and take it out to other states, we enjoy government in the state. if you want to protest, go to the state where governance is not felt and express your grievances.
“As we talk now, many of the states could not even afford to pay the last N30,000 minimum wage, yet Lagos is ready to pay new minimum wage of N70,000. Let Lagos be free, this is about me as a born and bred Lagosian, free Lagos”, she concluded.
Good to
Also adding his voice, Chief Imam, Conference of Islamic Organization, Shikrullah Shafii, urged government to ensure reduction in the prices of commodity, this according to him, it’s not just about increase in salary of workers but having value for the increased salaries.
The security agencies and Stakeholders that attended meeting included, the Nigeria Police, Navy, Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp, Department of State Security, Air Force, Nigeria Labour Congress, National Association of Nigeria Students, Muslim-Christian clerics, including chairmen and chairperson of local governments, banks executives were also represented to mention few.
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