The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has called for reconciliation between the people and the security agencies in a report, leaked on Friday, on the resolution reached at a closed door meeting after talks over the Lekki Toll gate protest.
The Governor called for victims to be compensated with in an effort to bring peace back to the area.
According to the report, the State Government will also place a total of 20,000 people in rehabilitation centers within the next 10 days.
The Governor has called for a total of 4,000 people to be rehabilitated and placed in rehabilitation centers within the next 10 days.
The report states:
“We, Lagos State Government, call for the immediate, unconditional and unconditional release of detainees held by anti-terrorism police in the Lagos State who have been charged to court on spurious allegations since Thursday, December 28th, 2018 at a stadium at, Iju, Ikeja and which represents one of the focal points of the recent demonstrations that erupted in Lekki when a combined team of anti-terrorism policemen and the state police command overpowered a small group of peaceful demonstrators attempting to gain access to the Lion Building where the current management of the Lekki-Epe Expressway is domiciled, at an illegal toll gate through which motorists are being charged for parking at sensitive locations where critical installations like the Long Distance Toll Bridge, the Epe Federal Airline Airport and the flyover leading to Epe and Ikate roads are located.
“The anti-terrorism police command must allow the court of competent jurisdiction to dispense justice in all matters relating to suspects who have been charged to court in a manner that commands the confidence of the citizenry and the rule of law. We humbly urge the anti-terrorism police to return to their lawful duties in the Lagos State Police Command and direct their detectives to immediately release to the Lagos State government the un-encroached detainees in the Ikeja Police Divisional headquarters who are both civilians and policemen whose incarceration does not appear to have any link with the protests.
“We believe that reconciliation should not be discussed in terms of our citizens’ rights to protest, but rather it should be the business of the lawful powers to investigate and respond to any allegation or incidents that arise from an action or circumstance within the protection of the constitution. The release of these detainees to the Lagos State government must be done in the overall interest of all, especially in the interest of sustaining peace in Lagos State.”
The report concluded:
“All the protest groups who participated in the events of Monday, December 31st, 2018 must apologize to the government and citizens of Lagos State, particularly in Lagos State where human lives are considered the heartbeat of life, and whose lives in Lagos should be a fundamental issue for all for peace to thrive and progress to be made. We must also re-emphasize that human lives are supposed to matter to us all and that we must hold that as the paramount factor.
“In the same vein, we call on all security agencies in Lagos State to act within the constitutional bounds of protecting lives and property in Lagos State, in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Police Act and other laws on human rights. We must also remember that our communities are made up of vast numbers of citizens and that the rights of the citizens must be protected without discrimination.”
POW
FOX