Police parade 49 Yoruba nation agitators in Lagos

• Task force nabs four ex-convicts, 69 others
The Lagos State Police Command, on Sunday, paraded some protesters arrested during the Yoruba nation, Oodua Republic demonstration around the Gani Fawehimi Freedom Park on Saturday.

Speaking at the command headquarters yesterday, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said 49 suspects were arrested for violating the ban on rallies in the state.

He said: “The press briefing is on what happened on Saturday during the Oodua Republic Mega Rally. The Lagos State Government and the police command kicked against any rally of any kind in the state due to the intelligence report gathered about the rally.

“We advised the demonstrators to steer clear of Lagos State due to the fact that it could not afford another loss that was incurred during the #EndSARS.

“Yesterday, some people came to foment trouble in the state during the rally and the command arrested 49 suspects during the rally. The suspects would be handed to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, for discreet investigation and prosecution.”

Meanwhile, the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, has said no fewer than 21 Yoruba nation agitators were arrested during the protest held at Ojota.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the group, Maxwell Adeleye, said: “We are making moves to bail them. They are detained at Panti Police Station. We demand immediate release of everyone arrested at the Lagos rally.”

MEANWHILE, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) has arrested 71 miscreants in a dawn raid of black spots in Oshodi, just as it impounded 227 motorcycles from riders plying prohibited routes.

The police, in a statement, said the raid was in line with the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, to rid Oshodi of traffic robbers and miscreants who harass and dispossess motorists and commuters of their belongings.

The agency’s team, led by its Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye, raided and combed Oshodi Oke, Oshodi Underbridge, Toyota, Fatai Atere areas, among others, where many ex-convicts, drug addicts and peddlers were arrested between 5:00 a.m.  and 6:00 a.m.

Jejeloye had, on reaching the agency’s headquarters in Oshodi, personally screened the suspects one after the other before releasing five of them.

Some of the motorists and passers-by who witnessed the arrest of some of the miscreants commended the agency for evacuating some of the miscreants, adding that they had made Oshodi inaccessible at dawn and at nightfall.

Some of the suspects arrested for their notoriety and criminal conduct in the areas included Solomon Ebenezer (29), Toyin Shoboyejo (29), Chidebere Peter (29) and Demola Olowe (a.k.a FGN), all ex-convicts.

Also, the task force impounded 227 motorcycles for plying restricted routes.

The bikes were impounded at Ikeja Along, Ogba, Alaguntan, Abule Egba, Command, Gate and Ayobo.

The chairman reiterated that the agency would intensify efforts to complement the command in ridding the state of criminals, while also continuing with the clampdown on motor bikes plying prohibited routes in the state.