Sowore Accuses Police Of Enabling Thugs At Ondo Protest
Convener of the End Bad Governance protest, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Nigeria Police of aiding thugs who violently disrupted a peaceful demonstration on Thursday in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, said the protest was organised to raise awareness about citizens’ democratic rights and to speak against bad governance.
He explained that the group had officially notified the police of the planned protest through a letter submitted by their legal counsel, asserting that the letter was not to seek permission but to remind the police of their duty to protect lawful demonstrators.
“What is so sad is that a letter had been written by a lawyer to the Commissioner of Police,” he said.
“The letter was not to plead with the police that we want to protest, but just to remind them of their duties as policemen to protect people in the country.
“It’s shocking that they failed in that responsibility because they have aided thugs to disrupt this protest,” Sowore alleged.
He further stated that the Commissioner of Police had earlier given assurances but failed to act, prompting the group to issue a warning.
“We’ve given him a matching order that if something is not done, we’ll come back here and take over the place,” he said.
According to him, the disruption was a deliberate attempt to silence dissent and suppress civic engagement.
“Nobody has the right to prevent another Nigerian from expressing themselves,” he said.
“These hired thugs came to sabotage and hijack the protest. They came to attack the peaceful protesters.”
Also speaking, human rights activist, Tope Temokun, said the group had made formal efforts to seek police protection ahead of the protest in Akure.
Temokun condemned the attack and called for accountability from the security agencies.
In response, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, dismissed the allegations, insisting that no officer under his command would collude with thugs.
“With the level of training we have received both locally and internationally, we will not allow any policeman under my watch to have anything to do with thugs,” he said.
“So the allegation that maybe police connived with thugs to attack the group is baseless.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
