The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, has declared human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, wanted over an alleged attempt to stage a protest against the demolition of buildings in Oworonshoki, Lagos.
Mr Jimoh made the announcement on Monday while addressing journalists near the Third Mainland Bridge, where security operatives were deployed to prevent possible disruption and safeguard the area.
“As the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, I hereby declare Omoyele Sowore wanted,” Mr Jimoh said.
“He is wanted for acts capable of disturbing public peace and for putting plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge — an act intended to cause hardship for Lagosians, other Nigerians, and visitors transiting the area. We will not allow that to happen.”
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The police chief accused Mr Sowore of recording videos from a vehicle instead of presenting himself to the authorities.
“We are closing in on him wherever he is. He should come down — he came down in Abuja, why is he afraid to come down in Lagos?” he said.
“He should report to the nearest police station because we will arrest, investigate, and prosecute him. Let him put his feet on the ground.”
Mr Jimoh said 13 persons had already been arrested in connection with the planned protest.
“We have arrested 13 of these miscreants and hoodlums. There is no reason for this protest. Residents of Oworonshoki who were entitled to compensation have been paid, and the community has remained peaceful. But this attempt to instigate crisis and violence will not be tolerated,” he said.
He assured residents of their safety and urged them to go about their normal activities without fear.
“Our men have covered all entry points, including Adeniji Adele and Oworonshoki, to prevent any unlawful gathering or obstruction. Blocking the bridge, which millions use daily, is unacceptable and will be treated as a criminal act,” he said.
Mr Jimoh also warned that blocking the bridge could pose structural risks.
“Bridges are designed for moving vehicles, not stationary ones. Creating such pressure can threaten structural safety. We cannot and will not allow that,” he added.
The commissioner said the heavy police presence on the bridge would continue to ensure smooth traffic and protect critical infrastructure.
“This is the heart of Lagos. Our duty is to keep it safe and functional. We appeal to the public to go about their normal business and avoid any unlawful assembly or blockage,” he said.
The fresh threat by the police to arest Mr Sowore came on the heels different run-ins he has with the police and the State Security Service (SSS) since the beginning of the year.
In October, he spent days in prison in Abuja after he was arrested by the police over the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest he led on 20 October.
At least three three sets of charges have been instituted against him this year.
One of the cases stemmed from his calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal in his social media posts. The Nigerian government filed the charges against him after he rejected SSS’ warning to delete the posts on X and Facebook.
Another case centred around his referring to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun as ‘Illegal IGP’.
The latest case followed his leading the protest calling for the release of Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore speaks
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Sowore accused the police of targeting him during Monday’s anti-demolition protest.
“In Lagos earlier today, I was targeted by @PoliceNG during an anti-demolition protest in Oworonshoki. The deadly squads were sent by Kayode Egbetokun, the illegal Inspector General of Police,” he wrote.
“Upon my arrival, the police began firing riot guns directly at protesters and deployed additional RRS reinforcements. I captured some of their actions, including indiscriminate arrests and attacks on innocent bystanders during a Facebook Live broadcast.”
He described the police response as a misuse of law enforcement resources against “defenseless citizens.”
Take It Back movement reacts
The National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the protest would continue despite the declaration of Mr Sowore as wanted by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
Mr Sanyaolu said the police action would not deter citizens from exercising their democratic rights.
He described the move as an attempt to silence dissent and vowed that protesters would remain peaceful but resolute in demanding justice for residents affected by the demolitions in Oworonshoki.
One of the protesters, who spoke in Yoruba, told reporters that he lost his eight-month-pregnant wife during the demolition exercise.
The distraught man said his home was destroyed without prior notice, leaving his family homeless.
He appealed to the government to show compassion and provide relief for displaced residents.
The Secretary of the Take It Back Movement, Abdulaziz Olamide, also condemned what he described as unprovoked attacks by police officers on peaceful demonstrators.
Mr Olamide alleged that officers fired riot guns and arrested bystanders during the protest, calling on the Lagos State Government to stop the repression and instead engage with affected residents to find lasting solutions.
A PREMIUM TIMES observed heavy police deployment around Iyana-Oworo and other convergence points on Monday morning. Several patrol vehicles were stationed at access routes to the Third Mainland Bridge.
Residents had planned to stage a protest against the recent demolitions in Oworonshoki, but the security presence appeared to have stalled the action.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Protesters march against Lagos govt in Ikeja over Oworonshoki demolitions
Background
Oworonshoki residents had earlier postponed their planned protest following warnings from the Lagos State Police Command that participants could face arrest.
Mr Olamide had told PREMIUM TIMES in October that the group decided to “restrategise” after receiving a police circular.
“We were at the bridge when we saw a police circular warning that we would be arrested if we protested. They said if we’re arrested this time, they won’t release us and the demolition will continue,” Mr Olamide said.
Another resident, Olanrewaju Segun, insisted that the demonstration would still hold, saying, “We must be strategic. There will be a protest.”
The Lagos State Government has defended the demolitions, describing the cleared structures as illegal and criminal hideouts. But rights activists—including Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana—have accused the government of violating a subsisting court injunction restraining further demolitions.
Residents allege that the demolitions, often carried out at night, have displaced several families without adequate compensation.
The exercise forms part of Lagos State’s urban renewal drive, which has also seen the removal of shanties and makeshift structures under bridges across the city.
While officials insist the move is to reclaim public spaces and enhance security, critics say it worsens homelessness and hardship among low-income residents.
On Sunday, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, urged the state government to pursue urban renewal in a manner that protects residents—reflecting growing calls for a more humane approach to development in Africa’s largest city.
