Police opens venue for #RevolutionNow symposium – TheNigerialawyer

Police have opened the venue for the proposed #RevolutionNow
symposium by civil society organisations, hours after blockading it
in Lagos.

The venue, which had been sealed off since the early hours of
today by the police and the State Security Service (SSS), was
finally opened after the intervention of the human rights lawyer,
Femi Falana.

The main organiser of the event was the Coalition for Revolution
(CORE), a political movement led by the detained Nigerian activist,
Omoyele Sowore.

The event, which was scheduled to draw an urgent attention to
Nigeria’s growing social and security crises, as well as the way
forward, was initially disrupted by security forces.

Organisers had invited public figures like Wole Soyinka and Femi
Falana to help add their voices to the worsening insecurity and a
general crackdown on critics of the Buhari government.

But, shortly before the event was billed to commence at 11:00
a.m., security agencies reportedly stormed the venue and attacked
participants and reporters indiscriminately.

A BBC reporter was reportedly taken into custody and made to
delete footage in his camera and other multimedia equipment.

The security operatives were reportedly from the police, the
State Security Service and the Nigerian military.

“This is the response of a so-called civilian government to a
symposium,” the CORE said in a statement to PremiumTimesng. “No
wonder the country is sinking deeper into crises.”

The group said any acts of intimidation by security agencies
will be resisted and the event would go on as planned at the same
venue, The Logos Centre, 46 Ibijoke Street, Oluyole Bus Stop,
Oregun, Lagos.

It was unclear whether Mr Soyinka and other major headliners
have arrived for the event before the security agencies moved in to
frustrate it.

Anthony Kila, a Cambridge professor, was amongst those scheduled
to speak at the event. He condemned the disruption in a telephone
interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

“I was prepared to speak on insecurity and increasing
intolerance towards critics by this regime,” Mr Kila said.
“Disrupting such a peaceful gathering of eminent Nigerians means
the country is even in a bigger trouble than many preciously
realised.”

Venue opened
When Mr Falana arrived the venue for the symposium, he met the
venue on lock down by the force and subsequently demanded its
opening, as it was a violation of their fundamental Human
Rights.

Mr Falana, who, along with members of the #RevolutionNow,
remained in front of the venue, despite being denied entry by the
police, said no one had the right to deny them their rights to
association.

The activist, who demanded to know on what grounds the police
was keeping them from accessing the venue, was informed that the
police was only trying to ensure that miscreants do not take over
the processes.

After some time, the police agreed to let people into the venue,
after doing a body search.

This is coming two weeks after SSS agents violently breached an
apartment used by Mr Sowore in Lagos and took him into custody. The
Sahara Reporters publisher has remained in custody after the Buhari
government claimed his call for a nationwide protest against
hardship amounted to terrorism.

Protesters and journalists were also dispersed and arrested in
many parts of the country for joining a protest aimed at
revolution, an action that the police tagged as treasonable
felony.

The government has continued to ignore public outcry over Mr
Sowore and kept him in custody in an unknown location.

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