Lagos State has witnessed a contentious clash between authorities and activists following a protest against forced evictions and demolitions in several low-income communities. Activist Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as “Soweto,” a leading member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and spokesperson for the #EndBadGovernance Movement, along with fellow protest leader Dele Frank, have been detained and are set to be charged in court. Their arrest stems from a coffin-carrying demonstration on Tuesday that allegedly led to significant road blockages in Ikeja.

The Lagos State Police Command, in a statement released on Wednesday, described the protest as a “violent and unlawful demonstration.” According to the police, demonstrators initiated their actions at the Ikeja Under Bridge, where they blocked Awolowo Road for several hours, extending to Alausa.

The Command alleged that protesters carried a coffin, mounted loudspeakers on a vehicle, and barricaded major routes, effectively bringing traffic to a standstill. These actions, the police claimed, prevented residents with medical emergencies from reaching hospitals and disrupted travelers heading to the airport, causing panic and chaos in the Ikeja and Alausa areas. Reports of individuals fainting in their vehicles due to the gridlock were also cited.

The police further alleged that upon reaching the Lagos State House of Assembly, protesters attempted to force their way into the complex. Although five members of the Assembly reportedly came out to address the demonstrators and offered dialogue, promising to relay their grievances to relevant authorities, the police claimed this appeal was rejected. Instead, protesters allegedly barricaded the highway in front of the Assembly complex, with Soweto reportedly ordering participants to sit on the road, exacerbating the traffic disruption. The Command stated that it had "no other option but to use minimum force to disperse them with teargas," asserting that no deaths or injuries were recorded during the dispersal. Following this, Soweto and Dele Frank were arrested at the scene.

Both men are currently under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, facing potential charges for conspiracy, conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace, threatening violence, instigating disorder, inciting the public to disrupt law and order, and obstructing traffic, all contrary to the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The police also recovered a white Toyota vehicle with registration number LND 968 YL, fitted with multiple loudspeakers and two generators, reportedly used to block the highway, as well as the coffin carried by the protesters, both as exhibits.

The Command maintains that its actions were lawful and aimed at safeguarding public order, emphasizing that the right to protest must be exercised peacefully and without causing hardship to others.

However, the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) have vehemently condemned the police’s actions and the state government’s policies. The DSM, in a statement by its Organising Secretary Peluola Adewale, accused security operatives of using excessive force, including teargas and live ammunition, to disperse what they described as a peaceful protest. The DSM reported that one protester was shot in the leg and that a woman was separated from her baby amidst the stampede triggered by the security crackdown, with the child’s whereabouts unknown.

GAFAMORG, through its Chairman, Babatunde Agunbiade and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adeoye Ade-Adewunmi, characterized the demolitions in Owode-Onírín, Oworonshoki, and Makoko as "anti-poor" and "state-sponsored violence against the poor." The organization highlighted that these demolitions were carried out without proper notice, humane engagement, alternative accommodation, or compensation, leading to loss of lives, destruction of livelihoods, displacement of families, and increased trauma and destitution.

They accused the Lagos State Government of prioritizing profit and urban renewal for elites over the basic rights and welfare of ordinary residents.

Both organizations asserted that the protest consisted of victims of the evictions and concerned citizens lawfully exercising their constitutional right to protest against "unjust and inhumane evictions." GAFAMORG reiterated the claims of police brutality, including teargassing, beatings, shootings with live ammunition, and arbitrary arrests, describing such actions as unacceptable in any democratic society. The continued detention of Soweto and other protesters was labeled as a "criminalization of dissent and the persecution of the poor."

In response to these events, both the DSM and GAFAMORG have issued a series of urgent demands. These include the immediate and unconditional release of Taiwo Hassan Soweto and all other detained protesters and activists.

They also call for an immediate halt to all demolitions and forced evictions of homes, shelters, and workplaces belonging to poor and working-class Lagosians. Furthermore, they demand adequate compensation for all victims whose properties and livelihoods have been destroyed, along with the provision of alternative housing, shelters, and workspaces for displaced persons and affected communities.

Both organizations urge an end to all "anti-poor, anti-people policies" of the Lagos State Government that prioritize profit and elitist interests over human dignity, and accountability for security agencies involved in the alleged shooting, brutality, and illegal arrests of peaceful protesters. GAFAMORG reminded the government that housing is a human right and protest a constitutional right, calling for solidarity from various civil society and labor organizations.