15th December, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned those planning to hold demonstration in Lagos under the aegis of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB and the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, to discontinue such attempt to plunge Lagos into crisis as the state will not take kindly to such nefarious plan.
The party stated that with the heightened security challenges the state is facing, it would be foolhardy for any group to hide under the guise of protest to compromise the security of the state and be allowed such privilege.
Lagos State Publicity Secretary, APC, Joe Igbokwe, said there is no way the state would sit idly by and allow politically sponsored hoodlums masquerading as Pro-Biafran protesters or any group at all to compromise the security of the state where the state has invested hugely in recent times.
It warned those behind the plot to “arrest themselves as the security agencies led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, has vowed to deal ruthlessly with anybody or group found to be involved in such protests. We hope the will of the law enforcement agencies in Lagos will not be tested at a time like this.
“As a party that governs Lagos, it will be derelict of us to watch a group of politically-sponsored hoodlums tamper with the tight security system that has been effortlessly put in place by the state government to combat increasing crime rates in the state. We cannot allow these hoodlums, sponsored by politicians that failed woefully in the last general elections, to unleash mayhem on peace loving Lagosians so as to achieve dark political aims that run parallel to the interests of Lagosians.
“It is obvious that the sponsors of the planned protest want to throw the state into needless mayhem by their act but the state will be ready to mete out to them the appropriate antidotes for such folly. Knowing full well that whatever they purport to represent is alien to Lagos and Lagosians, we wonder what the evil masterminds of these purported protests want to achieve in Lagos if not to plunge the state into unmitigated disruption and crisis and we state that Lagos will not allow such plans.
“Knowing full well that hoodlums are meant to capitalize on any so-called protests to unleash mayhem on Lagosians and compromise its tight security, we have no doubt that the brains behind the protest have very sinister intents the state will not allow,” APC stated.
The APC warned market leaders that were involved in this plot or allow their markets to be used for such dangerous activities to desist from such as the state would not only hesitate to show such market leaders the exit from such markets but would also take measures to ensure that such markets were not used as hatcheries for dangerous activities.
“We warn every market leader to desist from acts or plots meant to weaken or compromise the security of Lagos as the state will henceforth take measures to ensure that any market that allows itself to be used as grounds for acts that compromise the security of the state will be thoroughly scrutinized to ensure bad eggs are forced out of such markets.
“We urge Lagosians to be law abiding and report the masterminds of such evil plots that endanger the security of lives and properties in Lagos to appropriate security agencies for prompt action as we restate our support to the commitment of the present Lagos State government to guarantee maximum security of Lagosians,” the party said.