Makoko, Oworonsoki demolitions: CP led assault on us — Protest leader

Jimoh

Controversy trailing the protests against alleged illegal demolitions, forcible evictions and land grabbing in Makoko, Oworonsoki and other parts of Lagos deepened yesterday, as activist and protest leader, Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as Soweto, accused the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, of personally leading an assault on peaceful protesters.

Taiwo, a leader of the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing and Displacement in Lagos and spokesperson of the #EndBadGovernance Movement in the state, made the allegation after he and another activist, Dele Frank, also known as Arole Fela, were arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court over the protest. The activists were arrested on Wednesday during a demonstration at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, where residents and campaigners had gathered to protest what they described as increasing incidents of illegal demolitions and forced evictions in waterfront and low-income communities.

Speaking after being granted bail, Taiwo alleged that CP Jimoh personally led policemen to attack him during the protest. He claimed he was severely beaten in an attempt to silence voices opposing forced evictions in Lagos.
“The CP personally led the attack on me. I was severely beaten by the CP and other policemen with him. They nearly killed me. I will sue him over the attack. The aim is to silence me and others,” Taiwo alleged.

He further claimed that there was a plan to re-arrest him after his release on bail. “I was granted bail this afternoon by a Yaba Magistrate’s Court. The police planned to re-arrest me after my lawyer, Chief Femi Falana, SAN, secured my bail, but they could not. It is obvious they have the mandate to silence us,” he said, vowing to pursue legal action against the police commissioner.

The Youth Rights Campaign, YRC, confirmed the bail of Taiwo and Frank in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Michael Adaramoye Lenin, and National Secretary, Francis Nwapa. The group disclosed that the case had been adjourned to March 11, 2026.