The Lagos State Police Command has denied allegations that its officers opened fire on protesters during a demonstration at the Lagos State House of Assembly, insisting that no live ammunition was discharged at any point.
The Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Olohundare, made the clarification on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, following public outrage over claims that a protester was shot in the leg during the protest in Alausa, Ikeja.
The protest, held on Wednesday, drew residents from several waterfront and inner-city communities, including Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode-Onirin and Oko Baba. The demonstrators marched to the Assembly complex to demand compensation, justice and clear relocation plans after their homes were demolished by state authorities.
Some protesters also raised concerns over reports that residents had lost their lives during earlier demolition exercises, intensifying emotions around the protest.
Tension escalated after images circulated on social media showing an injured protester being assisted to a hospital, with claims that the injury was caused by police gunfire. Reports that several protesters were arrested further fuelled condemnation from human rights groups, civil society activists and social media users.
Addressing the allegations, Olohundare categorically rejected claims that police officers fired guns during the protest. He said officers only deployed teargas to manage the crowd.
“No gun was fired throughout the entire process of the protests yesterday,” he said. “What we used was the minimum force of using teargas to disperse them.”
According to the police commissioner, officers were deployed early to secure the protest and prevent it from being hijacked by criminal elements. He said intelligence reports indicated that hoodlums, some allegedly armed with dangerous weapons, had infiltrated the crowd.
“We moved in on time at Ikeja Under Bridge to provide security so that hoodlums and miscreants would not hijack the protest,” Olohundare said. “We equally received intelligence reports that some of them were already in their midst.”
He explained that the situation deteriorated when unidentified individuals joined the march and blocked Awolowo Way, one of Ikeja’s major traffic routes leading to the Assembly complex.
“Unknown groups surfaced, joined the protesters, started chanting war songs and blocked the entire Awolowo Way road,” he said, noting that the obstruction caused widespread disruption and posed safety risks to the public.
The police commissioner said the blockade left commuters stranded, including people with medical emergencies. He claimed some individuals reportedly fainted in traffic and required urgent medical attention.
Despite the controversy, Olohundare reaffirmed the police’s commitment to protecting peaceful protests, stressing that demonstrations remain a legitimate part of democratic expression.
“Protest is good. It is freedom of expression and an essential part of democracy,” he said. “For every protest in Lagos, we deploy officers to protect it peacefully. No gun was fired.”
