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#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters. Photo Credit: Elliot Ovadje
The Lagos State Police Command has invited the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, to a meeting with the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola.
The Take It Back Movement is one of the organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest, which took place in August in Lagos and several other states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In a letter dated 24 September 2024, signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Intelligence Department, Jaiyeoba Joseph, the police extended the invitation to Juwon and his executive members to discuss “issues of national interest.”
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 25 September 2024, at 11:00 am, at the office of the Commissioner of Police, located at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.
“The new Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, humbly invites you and your executive members for a meeting concerning issues of national interest,” the letter, seen by The Punch, read.
When contacted on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the meeting would be amicable, adding that the police had no intention of arresting anyone.
“Yes, the invitation is confirmed. The new CP just wants to meet everyone,” Hundeyin said.
He added that a Nollywood actor had visited the command on Tuesday for a chat with the CP and noted that some social media influencers were also invited.
The invitation comes ahead of another planned nationwide protest, tagged ‘Fearless In October,’ set to begin on 1 October 2024.
Sanyaolu was arrested by security agents in Lagos on 11 June 2024, a day before the 12 June Democracy Day protest.
He was released two days later from the Ikeja headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command.
When asked if the planned October protest would be part of the meeting’s agenda, Hundeyin replied, “Of course, the October protest will also be discussed, but it’s not a confrontation. Even if he doesn’t attend, there’s no issue.”
