The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has warned people agitating for a sovereign state of Biafra to steer clear of the state.
The party particularly warned members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB to “discontinue such attempt to plunge Lagos into crisis”.
The party stated that with the heightened security challenges the state is facing, it would not allow any group to hide under the guise of protest to compromise the security of the state.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Joe Igbokwe, the APC said there was no way the state would fold its arms and allow “politically sponsored hoodlums, masquerading as Pro-Biafran protesters” or any group to compromise the security of the state.
The APC reminded the agitators that the state commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni, had vowed to deal “ruthlessly with anybody or group found to be involved in such protests.”
“We hope the will of the law enforcement agencies in Lagos will not be tested at a time like this.
“As a party that governs Lagos, it will be derelict of us to watch a group of politically-sponsored hoodlums tamper with the tight security system that has been effortlessly put in place by the state government to combat increasing crime rates in the state.
“We cannot allow these hoodlums, sponsored by politicians that failed woefully in the last general election, to unleash mayhem on peace loving Lagosians so as to achieve dark political aims that run parallel to the interests of Lagosians.
“It is obvious that the sponsors of the planned protest want to throw the state into needless mayhem by their act but the state will be ready to mete out to them the appropriate antidotes for such folly.
“Knowing full well that whatever they purport to represent is alien to Lagos and Lagosians, we wonder what the evil masterminds of these purported protests want to achieve in Lagos if not to plunge the state into unmitigated disruption and crisis and we state that Lagos will not allow such plans.
“Knowing full well that hoodlums are meant to capitalize on any so-called protests to unleash mayhem on Lagosians and compromise its tight security, we have no doubt that the brains behind the protest have very sinister intents the state will not allow.
“Lagos APC wants to use this opportunity to warn market leaders that are involved in this plot or allow their markets to be used for such dangerous activities that the state will not hesitate to not only show such market leaders the exit from such markets but will take measures to ensure that such markets are not used as hatcheries for dangerous activities.
“We urge Lagosians to be law abiding and report the masterminds of such evil plots that endanger the security of lives and property in Lagos to appropriate security agencies,” the statement said.
