Wahala dey for Lagos as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, don open mouth yarn plenty things when e visit some injured protesters wey dey get treatment for Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Na last week protest wey dem organize to stop illegal demolitions and reckless evictions for Makoko waterfront area of Lagos. Falana no gree keep quiet after police start to dey fire teargas on top the peaceful protesters.
Dem protest nah from activists like our guy, Hassan Taiwo wey people sabi as Soweto, and Dele Frank. Dem carry their matter go streets to show Lagos State Government say anything wey dem no fit explain no gree pass. But as dem dey do their peaceful waka, na there police come spoil everything with teargas wey dey injure many people and make activists vex.
As Falana dey check how the injured people dey feel, one nurse wey name na Adedeji Hassan come yarn say one of the injured protesters, Kafayat Muftaudeen, wey don suffer serious leg injury, dey comot from hospital but she go still need regular check-up and surgery later. Another injured protester don also collect her discharge papers. Na serious matter wey dey go on for there as Falana dey push make everybody know say, law no gree allow police to just dey fire teargas on top protests like say na their house dem dey.
Falana dey remind everybody say Nigeria Constitution get correct provisions wey allow people to protest and express their mind. E talk say court even don talk say people no suppose dey ask police for permission before dem protest. Na wah! E come say, “As per this Police Establishment Act wey dey, to protest, wetin you go just do na to tell police.” Other matter wey dey vex Falana be say no government official come out to receive their complaint letter before police release the teargas.
“E be like say dem no wan hear wetin people dey talk. When police sabi say people dey vex, na so dem come decide to fire teargas,” he fuss. The injuries wey Falana see no be normal, as he talk say e don dey protest for over 40 years and e never see peppered matter like this before. Na serious video game level! E dey suspect say maybe dem use expired tear gas to attack the protesters.
Falana still talk say if public officers no fit take criticism, make dem cover their ears with cotton wool, because criticism dey important for democracy. He no gree make dem tell am say protesters need police permission to dey shout dem matter. According to am, desisting from protests na old colonial mentality wey don pass market since. Wetin we need na just inform police wetin dey happen and dem go provide security. How government go sabi say people dey protest if dem pack dem for one corner?
Abeg, Falana dey urge all dis security agencies make dem respect peeps rights, so that wetin happen for the protest go serve as lesson for all of dem. E dey vex say dem no fit manage the situation well and e dey push for respect and understanding between government and citizens.
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