The Lagos State Police Command has refuted allegations that its officers fired live ammunition at residents protesting the demolition of their homes in parts of the state.
The protesters, drawn from communities such as Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode-Onirin and Oko Baba, marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday to demand compensation, proper relocation plans and justice for victims of previous demolition exercises.
During the protest, demonstrators carried placards bearing messages like “A megacity cannot be built on the bones and blood of the poor” and “Justice for Owode-Onirin traders.”
Tension reportedly escalated at the Assembly complex in Alausa after protesters were denied access into the premises.
Tear gas was later deployed to disperse the crowd, affecting several individuals, including journalists and a nursing mother. One protester sustained a leg injury, and images of the injured individual circulated on social media, fuelling claims that police had opened fire.
However, speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Jimoh Olohundare, dismissed the claims, insisting that no gun was fired during the operation.
“No gun was fired. I was personally at the scene. I was appealing to them to remain peaceful, but they continued to hurl abuses at me. As a police officer, I am trained to work under pressure, so I did not react,” he said.
The police chief explained that efforts were made to resolve the situation peacefully, including engaging the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“We contacted the leadership of the House of Assembly, who, despite being on recess, sent five honourable members to appeal to the protesters. Unfortunately, they insisted on entering the Assembly to cause mayhem, which we will not allow,” Olohundare stated.
Addressing reports that a protester sustained a gunshot wound, the commissioner said investigations showed otherwise.
“The matter was reported to the area commander, who examined the injury and confirmed it was not caused by a bullet. It may have occurred while people were running during the dispersal,” he said.
He added that while tear gas was used, no gunshot injuries were reported to the police.
“When tear gas is deployed, people tend to flee, and in the process, some may get injured. To our knowledge, nobody reported a gunshot injury after we warned that force would be used if they refused to disperse,” he added.
