Lagos must convey protesters to designated parks, group reacts to court ruling

One of the groups organising the proposed nationwide protests, the Take It Back Movement, has described the judgment obtained by the Lagos State Government as an abuse of judicial privilege to stifle citizens’ freedom of association.

A Lagos State High Court had, on Tuesday, restricted protesters participating in the nationwide protest to specific locations within the state.

Justice Emmanuel Ogundare, while ruling on an ex parte application by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, (SAN), ordered that protests could only take place at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in Ketu.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, the Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Lagos, Adekunle Taofeek, said the state government must bear the cost of moving protesters from several designated areas in the state to venues ordered by the court.

He said, “We frown at this abuse of judicial privilege to stifle freedom of association. The movement, at an emergency meeting, wishes to inform you that since this was your administration’s decision, you must bear responsibility for the movement of protesters from several destinations in Lagos to and from Peace Park in Ketu and Gani Fawehinmi Justice Park in Ojota in Lagos.”

Taofeek said some of the agreed designated convergence points for participating citizens are Alausa Secretariat, ⁠Lekki Toll Gates, Ikorodu Bus Park, Okota Link Bridge, LASU Campus gates, Iyana Ipaja Underbridge, and Agege Pen Cinema.

“You will soon be informed of other designated convergence points for protesters,” he added.

Taofeek stated that the buses must arrive at the designated areas by 6 am and return by 6 pm to convey the protesters back to their destinations.

He said, “The buses to be provided must be clean, safe and air-conditioned. The buses must arrive at these designated areas as early as 6 am and return protesters to their convergence points at 6 pm every night from August 1 to 10, 2024.

“The protest days may drag beyond 10 days, so the Lagos State Government is advised to make contingency plans for the dusting of these actions.”

Taofeek warned that failure to make the buses available, the protesters would march to the court and designated parks in the city daily.

He said, “Your failure to provide buses for the protesters means they (protesters) would begin march/walk to the court designated parks in the city on a daily basis for the duration of the #EndBadGovernance direct actions.”

Taofeek, therefore, told the Lagos State Government that there would be rallies and processions during the protest.

He said, “Finally, be informed that there will be rallies and processions throughout the #EndbadGovernance actions, so your bus operators are advised to find and park a safe distance from the areas designated by protesters for these activities.”