Nigeria’s government warns against protests at Lekki toll gate

February 12, 2021 Elwin Mandowa

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The Nigerian government has cautioned against this weekend’s planned protests at Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

The demonstrators are protesting against the reopening of the toll gate where security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters in October last year.

The fresh protests, dubbed Occupy Lekki toll gate, are planned for Saturday.

The organizers have widely circulated flyers urging people to show up for the protests.

But Nigeria’s Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government would not allow another round of protests.

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He said criminals could hijack the protests and cause loss of lives and destruction of property.

Lai Mohammed is questioning the relevance of the protests since the Buhari government had complied with earlier demands to release all protesters who were arrested during the first wave of the protests.

According to him the government also set up and independent inquiry to look into police brutality, leading to the disbandment of the hated Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a police unit accused of brutality.