The Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday paraded no fewer than 146 suspects, over alleged breach of public peace, including violent protests and an attack on a health facility in Sagamu area of the state.
Parading the suspects at the Sagamu Divisional Police headquarters, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said a number of those arrested were commercial motorcycle operators, accused of unlawfully blocking the Oba Erinwole GRA Road on April 7, thereby disrupting movement and endangering lives.
Babaseyi, flanked by the Divisional Police Officer, Fred Ode, his deputy, Markus Wantana, and the Vice Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Isiaka Salami, described the action of the protesters as unlawful, despite their grievances.
According to him, the protest degenerated into violence, with demonstrators attacking a health facility and obstructing patients from accessing medical care.
“The men who carried out the unlawful assembly and protest attacked the health centre. If you have a protest, what do medical personnel have to do with your grievances? What does a sick person in the sick bay have to do with your protest?” he queried.
Babaseyi stressed that aggrieved groups should adopt lawful channels to address their concerns rather than resort to self-help.
“There are channels of communication. If they are aggrieved, they should write to the appropriate authorities. They know the Sagamu Local Government secretariat and have liaison officers, but they failed to explore these options,” he said.
He disclosed that 10 principal suspects had earlier been arrested and charged to court in connection with the incident.
The police spokesman further revealed that, in a sustained crackdown, operatives of the Sagamu Area Command, in collaboration with other security agencies and community stakeholders, carried out an intelligence-led raid in the early hours of April 13, leading to the arrest of the 146 suspects.
The joint operation involved the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, Ogun State Community Security (So-Safe) Corps, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.
“All suspects are currently undergoing screening, and those found culpable will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Abeokuta, for thorough investigation and prosecution,” he added.
Babaseyi also quoted the State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, as warning criminal elements to desist from acts capable of undermining public peace.
“The Command is fully prepared, strategically positioned, and operationally equipped to deal decisively with any act of lawlessness. There will be no hiding place for offenders,” the CP warned.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining the gains of “Operation Keep Sagamu Safe” through proactive policing and community collaboration.
On the right to protest, the police spokesman maintained that while it remains a fundamental right, it must be exercised within the confines of the law.
“You must know that where your right ends, another person’s right begins,” he said.
Meanwhile, Salami commended the swift response of security agencies, noting that their intervention prevented a potential breakdown of law and order.
“We thank them for swinging into action when there was information that some people wanted to cause havoc. Sagamu is volatile, but this prompt response averted what could have escalated into another crisis,” he said.