Millions
of Nigerians are expected to emerge at the National Stadium in Surulere
on Monday morning as they support 2Face in the protest against the
federal government, but the Lagos State police commissioner, has
cancelled the protest.
Lagos Police Commissioner & 2Baba
While speaking in an interview with LIB on Friday morning, the
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who had earlier
placed a ban on the February 6th protest led by 2Face Idibia against the
Buhari-led federal government in the state, has clarified his position
on the issue.
He said: "What the police in the command has done is to bring
attention of the organizers of the protest to the provision of the
constitution. The constitution does allow right to freedom of expression
and right to peaceful assembly and the same constitution in section 45
also puts what is called restriction to the fundamental rights.
"The implication of that is that the right to freedom of
expression, the right to peaceful assembly are not absolute. The
constitution has given us that authority to act when those two rights of
freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are going to affect the
right and freedom of other persons and of course if they are going to
affect safety, public order and security.
"We have met with the organizers of the 2face rally. The other
group that also want to do pro-government rally, we have brought their
attention to the provisions of the constitution and its on the bases of
that that we are advising them to shelve whatever rallies as a respect
to the constitution. It is not power or the take of the police
commissioner to say he is banning a rally. I am not the law. Everything
the police do is within the confines of the law. We only brought their
attention to those provisions of the law and advised them to abide with
the constitution.
"After seeing all the controversies surrounding what they want
to do, we also have a duty to protect the rights and freedom of other
persons. Since its going to affect public safety and order, it is a
mandate that where every other persons want to go to work, so we have
advised them on the basis of what the constitution says and that is our
position.
"We have told them that those rights (freedom to peaceful
assembly and freedom of expression) they want to use are not absolute
and we have told them that the constitution has put a restriction on
those rights and in furtherance, advised them to shelve the rally."
When asked if the Police force would put up any resistance should the protest go ahead on Monday, Owoseni said;
"We believe that they are very responsible people and they will
abide by the provision of that constitution that makes their rights not
to be absolute to respect the rights of other citizens. We are assuring
the members of the public that we would do the needful to ensure
everybody goes about his or her lawful business without any injuries."
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