As IPOB plans rally Dec 16, 17
Ahead of Wednesday’s purported rally by members of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB, in parts of Lagos, the State chapter of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, warned anyone planning to hold a
demonstration in the State under any umbrella to discontinue such an
attempt to plunge the state into crisis, noting that the State will not
take kindly to such a nefarious plan.
The APC in a statement by its Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Joe Igbokwe, said considering the heightened security challenges the
state is facing, it will be foolhardy for any group to hide under the
guise of protest to compromise the security of the state and be allowed
such privilege.
This came as IPOB in a statement yesterday, on its Facebook page
disclosed that it will be embarking on a Lagos Mega Rally/Protest slated
for Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th December, 2015.
The statement read: “The Rally which will kick-off on the morning of
Wednesday 16th Dec. 2015 will see us march from … axis of the city via
Alaba Int’l market down to Mile 2 on the first day of the protest after
making a stop over at Trade Fair Int’l market complex to intimate our
people over there about the rally.
“The 2nd day of the rally will see us visiting several Embassies and
High Commissions in Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis of city to deliver
our protest letter as well as Amnesty Int’l and UN offices…”
“We shall be demanding for the unconditional release of director of
Radio Biafra & TV, Nnamdi Kanu and all other Biafrans in the
custody, as well as a right for self-determination during the
March/Protest.”
However, the APC warned that it will not sit idly and allow
politically sponsored hoodlums masquerading as Pro-Biafran protesters or
any group whatsoever, to compromise security in which the state w has
invested hugely in recent times.
It asked those behind the plot to arrest themselves as the security
agencies, led by the State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni have
vowed to deal ruthlessly with anybody or group found to be involved in
such protests, and expressed the hope the law enforcement agencies in
Lagos will not be tested during this time.
“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,” Lagos APC said.
“We cannot allow these hoodlums, sponsored by politicians that failed
woefully in the last general election, to unleash mayhem on peace
loving Lagosians so as to achieve dark political aims that run parallel
to the interests of Lagosians.”
The Party criticized the sponsors of the planned protest as people
who want to throw Lagos State into needless mayhem by their act but
reiterated the state’s readiness to mete out to them the appropriate
antidotes for such folly.
It said that knowing full well that whatever such sponsors purport to
represent is alien to Lagos and Lagosians, it wondered what the evil
masterminds want to achieve in Lagos but to plunge it into unmitigated
disruption and crisis, a development Lagos will not allow.
“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.
“Lagos APC wants to use this opportunity to warn market leaders that
are involved in this plot or allow their markets to be used for such
dangerous activities that the state will not hesitate to not only show
such market leaders the exit from such markets but will take measures to
ensure that such markets are 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.”
The party called on 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,
restating its support to the commitment of the present Lagos State
government to guarantee the enviable security of Lagosians.
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