Policemen on Thursday besieged Airport Hotel, Ikeja, venue of a press conference called by the Free Lagos Orange Movement and barred people and journalists from gaining access to the airport.
It was gatherd that before the arrival of the heavily armed policemen at about 10:30a.m in six vans, persons suspected to be political thugs had also gone to the venue of the press conference, ostensibly to disrupt it.
It was further learnt that the police were called in to avert a possible clash between the political thugs suspected to be working for the power brokers in Lagos and members of the Free Lagos Movement
Some members of the Free Lagos Movement, who arrived the hotel were seen trying to force their way in but were resisted by the policemen who fired several tear gas cannisters.
Journalists and some group’s members who had gained access before the arrival of the security agents waited for hours for the commencement of the programme ,slated for 10am.
Mark Adebayo, one of the conveners of the movement had apologised for the late start of the press conference, blaming it on “serious security situation ”
“We are sorry for the delay, we having a very serious security situation. Some people are trying to stop us from holding this programme.
“We are resolving the issue with the police. We are on top.Please ,bear with us, we will soon start”,he said.
But a little after Adebayo made the announcement, a re-inforcement team of policemen arrived the scene, firing shots into the air, as people scampred for safety.
Also affected were businesses around the immediate environment of Awolowo Way, Ikeja, as well as guests within the hotel, as some were seen in a panic mood.
Normalcy, however returned to the hotel later as the gate was open for movements after all buses conveying people into the venue had all been turned back.
Adebayo later addressed journalists within the hotel premises after the calm.
Chike Otto, spokesperson of the Lagos police coomand, reacting to the development, said that the security agents took the step to prevent threats to peace at the venue.
He said the action did not have any political undertone as police responded to a call that some hoodlums were coming to the venue to unleash violence.
“What we did was to respond to security threats at the programme.
“We got credible information that hoodlums were planning to hijack the programme to unleash violence on those present at the programme.
“We cannot sit back to allow any breach of security, we intervened to prevent criminals from gaining access so that the programme could hold peacefully “,he said.
Speaking at the press conference ,Adebayo decried the violence that characterised the presidential and assembly elections on February 23 in some parts of the state.
He said the problem prevented many voters from exercising their civic rights as they were intimidated by those he called agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
He said the development was not good for democracy as it threatened the emergence of the choices of the people.
Adebayo said the movement was deeply concerned about the control of the state ‘s resources by a group of people for several years.
Adebayo said it was time to free the state from what he called bondage and allow the will of the prevail.
He called on the residents to challenge what he called the political hegemony that had denied them their rights and cornered their collective wealth.
“Lagosians, enough is nnough. Liberate yourselves from the iron grip of one man.
“Stand up and free yourselves and your future from the captivity of a rogoush system of power succession that lacks basic respect for free choice of leadership”,he said.
He asked the residents to use their PVCs to vote for “freedom, justice and development on March 9, 2019.
Joshua Bassey
