The police in Lagos have restricted protesters from entering the government office at Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos. The second day of the #EndBadGovernance kicked off in Lagos with protesters trooping into the streets to express their displeasure with the hardship in the country......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
But men of the Nigeria Police Force denied protesters entry into the government secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja.
On Thursday morning, FIJ spotted barricades mounted on two entrypoints to the secretariat, which houses the governor’s office and state house of assembly.
The policemen at the scene told FIJ they took the decision to prevent “unauthorized persons from gaining entry to restricted premises”. However, the action did not sit well with protesters.
Speaking with FIJ, protesters said they were ready to mount their own barricades on roads if the police prevented them from speaking to the governor.
“We are hungry and angry,” Victor Bassey, one of the protesters, said.
“If the police don’t want us to speak to the governor, we would block the road, and then the police would start shooting.”
The protesters held placards which read, ‘Allow People’s Choice, Say No To Godfatherism’, ‘Free Speech Is Guaranteed By The Constitution’ and ‘Extortion Is Killing People.’
Defiantly, they told FIJ they were ready to spend the whole day at Alausa and resume on Saturday to continue the #EndBadGovernance protest.
In further show of anger against the blockade, FIJ saw protesters lashing out police officers:
“Obasa refused to address us, Sanwo-Olu refused to address us. They sent a traditional ruler with no executive power to us. Are they bigger than the people who employed them? Do you think I enjoy spending my scarce resources coming here?” Babwo Olagokun, a Take It Back (TIB) movement said.
On Wedneday, FIJ gathered that similar events happened at Ojota, where protesters were asked to limit their protest to the Freedom Park.
This protest began nationwide on Thursday and is scheduled to run till August 10, as Nigerians lament the rising cost of living and unfavourable government policies.