TheCable

Alabi Oladimeji, convener of #DefendLagos, has withdrawn from the proposed Lekki protest.

The group was formed as a counter against #OccupyLekkiTollGate rally on Saturday.

Earlier in the week, some youths had taken to Twitter to call for a protest against the reopening of the Lekki tollgate.

In a virtual press conference, Oladimeji said his group withdrew from the counter protest owing to assurances by the government that no protest will take place at the tollgate.

He said his group will embark on a huge protest if the government allows the #OccupyLekkiTollgate group to hold their protest.

“No protest from #DefendLagos on Saturday. We are simultaneously respecting the state and federal governments,” Oladimeji said.

“I am proud to announce that for the meantime, we will be pending this protest due to the law of the federal and state governments. We are law-abiding and good citizens, definitely, we should not be the ones seen disobeying any law.

“In respect of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. I am now announcing that anyone involved in #DefendLagos initiated by me should with immediate effect pend the protest. We are not going to hold any protest again on Saturday.

“If Lagos and FG fail us, we will come out huge and protest on Monday. It is depressing news for me because we have invested personal resources to produce banners, posters among others on this. But this is not an avenue for us to make money like those in the Occupy Lagos.

“If they come out to protest and the government allows that, it means that we can also protest. We trust the government. The state and FG have banned any protests in Lagos. If they come out and the government did not arrest them, it means that the government has failed us.”

Operations at the toll plaza have been suspended since October 2020 following the shooting at the tollgate. Soldiers shot at activists who had gathered there to demonstrate against police brutality under the #EndSARS campaign.

On February 6, five of the nine-member panel voted to return the control of the tollgate to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), saying a forensic analysis on the venue of the shooting had been carried out, and there was no need to keep the place closed to business operations.

The panel’s decision generated reactions on social media — with many criticising the move.