By Charles Pemu 
A planned protest against the ongoing demolitions in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos, which was being mobilized with the support of activist Omoyele Sowore’s Take It Back Movement, has been postponed. The decision came after stern warnings and heavy police deployment across the city on Monday.
The demonstration, which was intended to draw attention to the mass demolition of buildings near the Third Mainland Bridge that has allegedly rendered thousands of families homeless, was suspended to avoid confrontation.
The Lagos State Police Command, through Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh, issued a strong warning to Sowore and his affiliated groups against mobilizing any demonstration that could lead to public disorder or block major highways.
Speaking near the Iyana-Oworo axis, the Police Commissioner stated:
“We want to warn Sowore and his group to stay away from Lagos or face the full weight of the law. The Third Mainland Bridge is too vital to the Nigerian economy and the safety of lives and property for anyone to think of blocking it.”
Following this threat and the observed massive deployments of armed police officers around strategic convergence points, including the Third Mainland Bridge, the organizers opted to postpone the action.
The General Secretary of the Take It Back Movement, Abdullaziz Olamide, confirmed the suspension, stating that the group would “restrategize” after the police issued a warning that arrested protesters would not be released this time.
The Commissioner of Police Jimoh defended the government’s action, describing the affected areas as illegal structures and known “hideouts for criminals” used to launch attacks on innocent Nigerians. He maintained that while the constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, protests must follow due process and not infringe on the rights of others.
The affected residents and activists, however, have lamented that the demolitions were carried out without sufficient notice or adequate compensation, leaving many families stranded. The demolitions in Oworonshoki have occurred periodically since 2023 as part of the Lagos urban renewal program.
(Note: Activist Omoyele Sowore was released on Monday from custody in Abuja after being detained for four days in connection with a separate protest related to the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.)