Fans of the late rapper Ilerioluwa Olademeji Aloba, aka Mohbad, gathered at the Lekki tollgate on Thursday for a candlelight procession. The Lagos State Police Command has defended the use of teargas by its troops to disperse the crowd.
According to the police, the parade was authorized to take place at Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island. However, after it finished there at 8 p.m. as agreed upon with the organizers, some individuals with nefarious intentions gathered at Lekki tollgate and obstructed traffic.
In a statement sent on Friday via his X handle, the command's spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, emphasized that the deployment of tear gas was a last resort and that both the police and the organizers of the candlelight parade begged those who gathered at the Lekki tollgate. Hours were spent pleading with those gathered at the Lekki tollgate to leave the road by the police and candlelight procession organizers, but they refused.
No one was hurt, nor was there any loss of life, according to Hundeyin.
It is noteworthy to note that the Lagos State Police Command had an arrangement with the candlelight procession organizers that the march was to conclude at 8 o'clock in the evening at the very latest and should terminate at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island. For the avoidance of doubt, it was made very clear that the Lekki Toll Gate would be off-limits in the interest of all Lagosians and given the busy nature of the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
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