Makoko protest: Police used expired tear-gas on protesters — Falana

Falana

HUMAN rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday, raised concerns over the alleged use of expired teargas canisters by Police operatives during last week’s protest against illegal demolitions and forced evictions in the Makoko waterfront area of Lagos. This came as the Lagos State government, yesterday, explained that the demolition of structures in Makoko was aimed at protecting lives and preventing potential disasters in the area. Similarly, the House of Assembly has invited stakeholders and leaders of communities of Makoko and adjoining waterfront settlements to a crucial meeting on Tuesday.

Recall that a protest, organised by activists, Mr Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as Soweto, and Mr Dele Frank, was aimed at drawing the attention of the Lagos State government to alleged unlawful demolitions and forced evictions at waterfront communities.

The demonstration was initially peaceful but reportedly turned violent after police operatives fired teargas at close range.

Several protesters sustained injuries, an action that has since drawn condemnation from human rights groups and civil society organisations.

Meanwhile, Falana, who spoke at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, during a visit to protesters injured in the incident, described the police action as unconstitutional, dangerous and a violation of citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.

At LASUTH, the rights activist was briefed on the condition of Mrs Kafayat Muftaudeen, one of the injured protesters, by a Burns and Plastic Nurse, Mr Adedeji Hassan.

Hassan said Mrs Muftaudeen, who sustained a severe leg injury, was being discharged but would continue treatment through regular wound dressing and weekly hospital visits before undergoing surgery.

“She is fit to go home and will be coming to the hospital weekly for dressing,” Hassan said, adding that she would later undergo skin grafting once the wound had healed. Reacting to the injuries he observed, Falana described them as unusual and alarming, adding that in over 40 years of participating in protests across the country, he had never seen teargas canisters cause such severe injuries.“In my over 40 years of participating in protests across the country, I have never seen tear gas canisters cause such severe injuries. The injury I have seen is not normal,” Falana said.