By Jimmy
The Lagos State Police Command has revealed why it fired teargas at mourners and sympathizers of the late singer, Mohbad, who gathered at the Lekki Tollgate on Thursday night.
Ikejabird had reported earlier that in the series of videos that surfaced on social media, scores were seen taking to their heels after teargas was released into the air.
Some persons were left badly injured and carried to the hospital after the incident.
READ HERE: Police disperse fans with tear gas at MohBad’s candlelight procession
However, the Police force has debunked claims of firing live ammunition at the mourners and sympathizers.
In a statement released on Friday, the command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said minimal force was used to disperse the mourners who blocked the Lekki tollgate after attending the memorial at Muri Okunola Park.
According to him, the Police had a prior agreement with the organizers of the Mohbad procession that the Toll Gate would be a no-go area.
Hundeyin stated that no one was injured or killed when the Police chose to fire the teargas after pleas from the organizers of the memorial and the Police for those who stormed the tollgate to leave fell on deaf ears.
He also stressed that the Commissioner of Police had warned mischief makers that any person or group of persons found disturbing the peace of the state would be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Full statement below:
The Lagos State Police Command is fully aware of false narratives making the rounds in relation to the dispersal of crowds at the Lekki Toll Gate yesterday, September 21, 2023.
It is instructive to note that the Lagos State Police Command had an agreement with the organizers of the candlelight procession that the procession was to end at 8pm latest and should terminate at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island. It was clearly stated for the avoidance of doubt that in the interest of all Lagosians and considering the heavy use of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Lekki Toll Gate would be a no-go area.
It, however, became disconcerting that after the procession duly ended at Muri Okunola park as agreed, with the Police providing optimal security all through, some persons started gathering at the Lekki Toll Gate with intent to manifest objectives extraneous to the #justiceforMohbad initiative.
“Being a clear violation of the laid down agreement, the Lagos State Police Command invited the procession organizers who came back and joined the officers on ground in persuading the people at the toll gate to disperse peacefully. The organizers equally sent out messages on social media asking everyone to go home, clarifying in clear terms that it was not a protest but a procession which had been successfully concluded. This persuasion and appeal went on for hours, to which the Police and organizers met defiance, both in words and action. At this point, all lanes in and out of Lekki had been totally blocked. Vehicular movement on the ever-busy expressway had been brought to a total standstill, leading to traffic build up.
SEE: Lagos Police confirm completion of autopsy for Mohbad
Having gone down this road before, having learnt from previous similar encounters, and having studied the pattern in the crowd, the red flags and early warning signs of total chaos and anarchy were discernible.
Therefore, in fulfillment of our mandate to protect life and property, maintain law and order and prevent crimes, we adopted the least harmful method of crowd dispersal, following the failure of verbal persuasion – the use of teargas. Not a single live ammunition was fired! The Police adopted crowd management best practices in engaging the unruly crowd. No life was lost neither was there any injury.
The Lagos State Police Command also appreciates the procession organizers for keeping faith with the Command and assures all supporters of #justiceforMohbad and Lagosians at large that it will continue to prioritize their safety and security at all times.”
Regarding the ongoing investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Mohbad, the Police urged the general public to avoid creating unnecessary distractions and give the command the stable internal security space to undertake a conclusive and timeous investigation.
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