ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Police stops protest against Lagos traffic law

Police stops protest against Lagos traffic law

byBen Ezeamalu
December 10, 2012
2 min read

It has become the norm to disperse non-violent protesters with arms bearing police officers.

Hundreds of protesters marching against the state government’s new traffic law, Monday, in Lagos were turned back by armed police officers.

The protesters, made up of civil society groups and commercial motorcyclists, planned to march from the Nigeria Labour Congress’s Secretariat, Yaba, to the seat of government in Alausa.

The Joint Action Front, JAF, the organizers of the protest, said that the march was shelved as a result of plans by “outsiders” to take advantage of the protest and unleash mayhem.

“Our own intelligence report, there are people who are not part of us that will join us and cause police to tear-gas us,” said Abiodun Aremu, JAF’s Secretary.

Protesters vs police

The mass action was to protest the restriction of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders, from about 475 inner roads in the state, according to the organizers.

By 8 a.m, dozens of armed police officers had arrived and stationed outside the Labour House, where the match would begin.

Initial confrontation between the police and the protesters was averted after two executive members of the motorcycle union were arrested.

RelatedNews

VIDEO: What Bawa told Senate about himself

Facebook to invest $1bn in news industry

Hoodlums kill police officer, raze patrol vehicle in Anambra

Nigeria needs urgent action on food as population surges — Osinbajo

Simeon Aremu and Yusuf Oladimeji, Chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye branch of an okada riders union and State Secretary respectively were arrested by the police “for distributing leaflets.”

Mr. Aremu said that there is “no going back” on the mass action.

“There’s no law that states that police permission is needed before you can protest,” said Mr. Aremu, Secretary, Joint Action Forum, the organisers of the mass action.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

“The first thing they want to do is to instill fear in all of us. We must conquer that fear,” he added

As more people arrived at the Labour House for the protest, more police vans bearing officers, armed with AK47 rifles, parked outside the building.

Police stop

When the march finally began, and the protesters had moved about 100 metres from their take-off point; the police closed in.

A Deputy Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Sobulo, who led the police team appealed to them to shelve the protest.

“We are appealing, please let some delegates of the executive move to the police headquarters, meet with my CP (Commissioner of Police), discuss with him, if you are not satisfied, you can now go back and do whatever you want to do,” Mr. Sobulo, who is in charge of Police Operations, said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The leaders of the protest refused.

A heated argument ensued.

Mr. Sobulo said that commercial motorcyclists plying the expressway is suicidal.

Mr. Aremu retorted that Governor (Babatunde) Fashola smokes despite that tobacco kills.

Mr. Sobulo said that there is a high chance of the protest being hijacked.

“If that happens, I’ll use all means given to me by the law to disperse that crowd and I’m not mincing words,” Mr. Sobulo, who unleashed tear gas on octogenarian, Ben Nwabueze and others during a peaceful walk earlier this year, said.

After a brief meeting with other leaders, the protesters decided to call it off, adding that the mass action would be a continuous one.

“We want to go and restrategize, we are going back for a meeting,” said Ayodele Akele, National Secretary of National Conscience Party.

“We are coming back massively. This is a warning protest.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (3)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Okonjo’s son blames security lapse for kidnap of mother

Next Post

Lagosian battle police to protest Okada ban on some roads

Ben Ezeamalu

Ben Ezeamalu

Ben Ezeamalu is an Assistant Managing Editor and the Head of Lagos Operations/Metro Editor at PREMIUM TIMES. A graduate of Microbiology from the University of Jos, Ben won the 2015 Africa Fact-Check Awards and was a runner-up in the 2014 CNN/Multichoice African Journalists of the Year. Twitter: @callmebenfigo.

More News

Abubakar Malami [Photo: The Guardian]

Justice ministry has become ‘revenue-generating entity’ under Malami – Official

February 25, 2021
Dubawa

Dubawa sends forth 2020 fact-checking fellows

February 25, 2021
Mr Ijeoma’s school said he had been suspended for alleged misconduct before he was expelled from South Africa. Credit: Mr Ijeoma’s Facebook Page

Before losing South African citizenship, Nigerian professor suspended for misconduct, school says

February 25, 2021
Ekiti State University

Court orders Ekiti State University to reinstate 85 sacked workers

February 25, 2021
Nigerian Army fighting Boko Haram

EXCLUSIVE: Untold story of how Nigerian troops crushed Boko Haram to retake Borno town

February 25, 2021
President Muhammadu Buhari [Photo: © Presidency]

Insecurity: Buhari rules out amnesty for bandits, terrorists

February 25, 2021
Next Post
Lagosian battle police to protest Okada ban on some roads

Lagosian battle police to protest Okada ban on some roads

We have not taken over Aero airline- AMCON boss

Aero Contractor's MD resigns

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,624,822 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.