The Vice Chairman of Alimosho Local Government Area, Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, stated on Thursday that his decision to oversee the “End Hunger Protest” in the Egbeda area was driven by a desire to prevent any instances of lawlessness.
During an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Johnson explained that his actions were a precautionary measure to avoid a recurrence of the tragic events that transpired during the #ENDSARS protest on October 8, 2020.
Johnson, accompanied by several of his officials, was observed at the well-known Egbeda Bus Stop, closely monitoring the situation. NAN reported that the Egbeda and Idimu areas of Lagos State remained peaceful, with only a few individuals seen going about their usual activities.
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“By virtue of my position and as an indigene of this place, I am here to protect my people. We don’t want a repeat of what happened during the #ENDSARS protest years ago, when hoodlums took laws into their hands to loot properties of innocent citizens.”
“If the protest must be held, it should be a peaceful one. I am a street boy, I relate with my people every time and if there is a protest, I should stay with them to ensure calm.”
“We all know that things are not easy, but we also need to be calm about the protest. As a responsible government, the president is already taking steps to ensure things get better, so we should all yield to a peaceful protest.”
Despite this calm, a significant security presence was noted in the area. A limited number of commercial vehicles and motorcycle operators continued their operations without disruption, indicating a semblance of normalcy amidst the heightened security measures.