The Lagos State Police Command on Friday invited organisers of the October #EndBadGovernance protest to a stakeholders’ meeting, warning against excesses.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Olarenwaju Ishola, at the meeting also assured Lagos residents of police presence during the planned protest, saying their motive would be to maintain safety and order.
“We are not stopping anybody from protesting, it is your legitimate right. We will protect all, so that miscreants do not hijack it,” he said.
One of the organisers and National Coordinator of Education Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto, who was part of the meeting on Friday, also confirmed the commissioner’s assurance of cooperation with the protesters.
Earlier on Friday, it was learnt some members of the organising team of the planned protest were summoned by the police to attend the stakeholders’ meeting at the police command in Ikeja.
According to a report who craved anonymity, some of the organisers invited by the police included Mr Soweto, Adeniji Adeboyega, Aishat Omolara, Isaac Obasi, among others
On Thursday, both Mr Soweto and Francis Nwapa had addressed a briefing in Lagos, announcing the preparation for the October protest.
At the briefing, which held at the International Press Centre, Ogba area of Lagos, the duo gave reasons the October protest must hold, saying apart from the high prices of fuel, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s alleged profligacy has made “nonsense” of austerity measures being preached by the government.
The organisers have therefore announced that the October protest will be tagged: “A Day of Survival,” and urged Lagosians to join them to express their dissatisfaction with the programmes and policies of the incumbent administration.