Armed Lagos police bow to pressure, allow #EndBadGovernance protesters procession to Alausa
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Lagos #EndBadGovernance protesters are holding a solemn procession from Adeniyi Jones in Ikeja, to Alausa, the seat of power in Lagos to mourn their dead.
The protesters marched from Rights House in Adeniyi Jones area of Ikeja, Lagos State to Alausa, dressed in black while holding candles.
A phalanx of police, army, and civil defence operatives had earlier cordoned off the protesters and denied them movement to Alausa.
The situation became tense as the police refused to yield ground despite an explanation by one of the organizing committee members of the protest, Hassan Taiwo Soweto that the procession would be peaceful. He also said that it was immoral for the police to kill their comrades and deny them the right to mourn them.
Soweto told the police that they would march to Alausa and if they (the police) wanted to shoot them in the process, so be it. He said they were not scared to die in the struggle of marching to Alausa because freedom of movement and assembly was an inalienable right.
The police then allowed the procession, leading the way with dozens of their trucks and hundreds of their men on foot.
Among the demands of the marchers was the sack of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over the deaths of their comrades.
The names and photographs of some of the protesters killed during the nationwide protest were displayed in a large banner.
