The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has reassured traders at the Owode Onirin Spare Parts Market of his commitment to justice following the demolition of their shops by a suspected land grabber last August.
Jimoh gave the assurance on Friday during a meeting with traders at the market, where he received a warm reception. Addressing their concerns, the police boss clarified that the demolished structures were not pulled down by the Lagos State Government but by a land grabber who has since been arrested.
According to him, the suspect illegally brought in police officers from outside Lagos State, in clear violation of the Inspector-General of Police’s directive prohibiting police protection for land grabbers. Jimoh said the officers involved have been transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and are currently undergoing disciplinary procedures alongside the land grabber, particularly over deaths linked to the incident.
Describing August 27 as a tragic day for the Owode Onirin community, the commissioner said the police had since maintained constant engagement with the traders and provided round-the-clock security to ensure business activities continued safely.
He added that the command had secured all the necessary evidence required to prosecute the suspect, noting that the report of a ballistic test conducted in connection with the case was being awaited.
Speaking on the protest that erupted on Wednesday in Ikeja, which led to the deployment of minimal force by the police, Jimoh insisted that the demonstration degenerated into violence and posed serious threats to public safety.
He accused the organisers of acts bordering on insurrection, alleging that all efforts to persuade them to stop blocking Awolowo Road for several hours proved abortive, even after they had been addressed by lawmakers.
While acknowledging that peaceful protest and freedom of expression are fundamental to democracy, the commissioner said the Ikeja protest crossed a red line when organisers allegedly removed schoolchildren from classrooms and attempted to coerce them into joining the march.
According to him, some of the children, still in their school uniforms, were too young to embark on a long trek from the Ikeja Underbridge to the Lagos State House of Assembly. He said the police insisted on their immediate withdrawal and safe return to school, describing the act as dangerous and contrary to international child-protection standards.
Jimoh also raised concerns over the display of a coffin at the protest ground, describing it as a symbol of violence rather than peaceful dissent. He said the coffin was recovered from a group allegedly led by Taiwo Hassan and Daley Frank, whom he identified as organisers of the protest.
Despite provocation, insults and harassment directed at officers, the commissioner said the police exercised restraint and acted strictly within the law.
He disclosed that three separate groups participated in the protest, two of which had no links to Owode Onirin, Oworonshoki or Makoko. These groups, he alleged, mobilised people from the streets with stipends, thereby exposing them to danger. By contrast, he noted that the Makoko community had a long-standing tradition of peaceful engagement with government and security agencies, often notifying authorities ahead of protests.
Jimoh dismissed as false unverified claims that children were killed during the protest, saying such allegations were aimed at inciting unrest. He stressed that no families or parents of alleged victims had been presented.
On the use of tear gas, the commissioner explained that the decision was taken only after highways were blocked for more than six hours, leading to reports of medical emergencies, stranded travellers and people fainting in traffic. He emphasised that no firearm was discharged during the operation.
He confirmed that Taiwo Hassan and Daley Frank were arrested for criminal acts committed in the presence of police officers and were charged to court within the constitutionally stipulated time.
Reaffirming the command’s commitment to human rights, Jimoh assured that peaceful and lawful protests would always enjoy police protection, while warning traders against being misled by individuals with ulterior motives. He added that police deployment in the Owode Onirin market had been doubled.
He also urged civil society organisations and the media to verify facts before amplifying claims capable of disrupting public order.
Appreciating the commissioner for standing by them, the traders said they withdrew from the protest after realising that its organisers had ulterior motives.
According to them, they had repeatedly visited the Lagos State House of Assembly since August to present their grievances over the demolition of their shops and the killing of their colleagues, and had always received police protection.
“This time around, we received an invitation that all those whose markets were demolished in Lagos should come out for a protest to the House of Assembly. That was why our people joined,” said one of the traders whose shop was demolished. “But when we got there, we saw it was something else. We had to pull back. We have no issue with the police. All we want is justice.”
The chairman of the Traders’ Association thanked the commissioner for his continued support, noting that he had visited the market three times since the August incident. He stressed that the traders were neither fighting the police nor the state government, adding that their only demand was justice for their deceased colleagues and those who lost their means of livelihood.
