Demolitions: Court grants bail to Lagos protest leaders

A magistrate’s court in Yaba, Lagos State,has granted bail to Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Soweto, and Dele Frank, leaders of Wednesday’s protest against demolitions at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.

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In a ruling on Thursday, the magistrate,A.I.O. Alaka, set bail at N200,000 each, with two responsible sureties per defendant.

The court released the men into the personal custody of their lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN),Femi Falana, pending formal perfection of the bail conditions.

Mr Falana described the charges as illegal and in violation of Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and assembly.

He told the court that the defendants had been detained since the protest, denied contact with the outside world, and sustained injuries during their arrest. Video evidence submitted by the lawyer purportedly showed the protest was peaceful.

Representing the Lagos State police, Anthony Ihiehie warned the court that the defendants could return to obstruct government facilities if granted bail, requesting conditions reflecting the seriousness of the charges.

Charges

The defendants face five counts, including conspiracy to commit felony, threatening the public, causing a breach of peace, obstructing traffic, and singing abusive songs against the police and Lagos State Government.

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The police said the alleged offences occurred along Allen Avenue, Alausa, Ikeja, during a protest organised by residents to voice grievances over demolitions.

They accused the defendants of using a vehicle with loudspeakers to obstruct public highways and of conducting themselves in a manner likely to provoke public disorder, citing sections 411, 56, and 57 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned to 3 March for further hearing.

Protest and police response

The demonstration followed forced evictions in waterfront communities including Makoko, Owode-Onirin, Oworonshoki, and Ajegunle.

Civil society groups, including the #EndBadGovernance Movement (Lagos Chapter) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), joined residents to protest the demolitions.

PREMIUM TIMES observed protesters marching peacefully from Ikeja Underbridge to the State House of Assembly, carrying placards reading “Save Our Souls” and “Stop the Killings, Stop Demolition of Our Homes.”

The Lagos State Police, however, described the protest as disruptive. Police Public Relations Officer Abimbola Adebisi alleged on X that protesters blocked Awolowo Way for over six hours, used loudspeakers to intimidate the public, carried a coffin, and sat on the highway, preventing road users from reaching their destinations.

The statement claimed police used “minimum force” to disperse the crowd and recorded no injuries.

Civil society observers, journalists, and medical volunteers disputed this account. CAPPA said officers deliberately targeted protesters and journalists, using teargas directly on unarmed civilians.

Several protesters and journalists, including Oluwaferanmi Oladipupo of Daily Family and medical professional Jennifer Rita Obiora, sustained injuries. Personal property, work tools, and vehicles were reportedly seized.

Eyewitness accounts and Soweto’s statement

Eyewitnesses said Commissioner of Police Moshood Jimoh conferred with lawmakers before security forces advanced.

Senior officers allegedly singled out Soweto for arrest while he addressed seated protesters.

CAPPA and other groups condemned the police actions as excessive and unconstitutional.

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A statement shared by Zikora Ibeh, CAPPA’s Assistant executive director, on behalf of Soweto, described being forcibly dragged into the Assembly complex, assaulted by the Commissioner and his men, blindfolded, and later taken to the Ogba Magistrate Court for a rushed arraignment before being returned to the Panti Police Station.

Soweto also alleged attempts to compel him to receive medical treatment and write statements without consent, and the seizure of his personal belongings.

The Lagos State Government defended the demolitions, with Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso citing safety risks posed by buildings along waterways and under high-tension power lines.

Civil society groups countered that demolitions disproportionately affect poor and working-class communities, often without consultation, compensation, or resettlement.

The #EndBadGovernance Movement described Wednesday’s events as a “horrific encounter” and called for a halt to forced evictions and lawful engagement with affected communities.

CAPPA and other groups demanded the immediate release of detained protesters, the return of seized property, suspension of the Commissioner of Police, and an end to ongoing demolition operations.