Police Tear-gas Lagos Residents Protesting Makoko Demolitions
Pandemonium broke out as men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State Police Command, in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, fired teargas on Wednesday, to disperse hundreds of protesters participating in the peaceful demonstration against demolitions of Makoko and Iyana-Oworoonsoki areas of the state.
The incident took place outside the Lagos State House of Assembly, Complex, forcing workers and passers-bye and protesters to flee helter-skelter for safety.
The demonstrators, displayed banners with different inscriptions calling on government to save their souls.
A screengrab from a video of protesters escaping from police teargas.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing protesters injured during the police crackdown, although organizers have not yet released an official casualty count.
Men of the RRS who were stationed at strategic areas blocked access to the Lagos State House at about 1.30pm.
“Policemen at the scene of the ongoing protest begun shooting tear gas at us to disperse protesters. Many of us are injured in the process,” one of the protesters told Vanguard.