‘Absolute claptrap!’ Divergent reactions trail CPS disregard for Lagos governor

Reactions have continued to trail the optics emanating from the standoff between the residents, landowners and the police regarding a highbrow Magodo Estate in Lagos.

Freelanews recalls how a Supreme Court judgment ordered the Lagos State government to return 549 plots to the original owners of the area before it was “fraudulently acquired over 38 years ago.”

And due to this, there have been several face-offs between the residents and the police, who were purportedly sent from Abuja to enforce the court ruling. Infact, the residents embarked on incessant protests to make known their displeasure.

Yesterday, the residents protested the continued presence of the police in estate and insisted they should leave. Vehicular and human movements were grounded as residents stormed the main gates and roads in large number.

The executives of the Magodo Residents Association, MRA, ordered the two main gates leading into the estate shut in order to prevent any form of invasion harmed with placards of various inscriptions to express their displeasure.

Some of the inscriptions read: “Lagos Attorney-General prosecute those involved in illegal invasion of Magodo Phase 2 you promised”, “Magodo Phase 2 has been under siege of the IGP’s anti-riot police squad for three weeks.”

Chairman of Magodo Residents’ Association, Banjo Osinubi, in his reaction to the development, said: “We called our people out to protest this morning. Over 50 policemen are living within the estate. We want the police out of our estate. There is no cases of kidnapping, rioting, but why are they still here? We want them out of our estate. We want to live in peace. This is a business between Lagos State government and the Adeyiga family.”

The event took an unpleasing dimension when the executive governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, intervened in order to prevent the incident from degenerating.

In a video below, the governor was seen appealing to a police officer identified as CSP Abimbola Oyewole to move his men from the estate as the case is between the state government and the creditors.

But Oyewole flagrantly refused to move an inch nor made any attempt to recognise the presence of the chief security officer of the state. Watch below.

This attitude of the police officer didn’t go down well with many who saw it as an affront on the office of the governor.

A respected media practitioner, Olawale Olaleye, in his reaction called the police’s action an absolute claptrap.

“This official disregard for civil authority is fast becoming a standard practice in Nigeria’s peculiar federalism. It happened to Governor Rotimi Amaechi in Rivers, when Joseph Mbu was used to terrorise him.

“It happened to Governor Kayode Fayemi during his 2014 reelection, when federal agents invaded Ekiti and trampled on the state. Now, it’s Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Nigeria’s former capital city, Lagos. Many other states have continued to endure similar impudence.
And, certainly, it would go round. Let the governors just continue to maintain their undignified silence, because that’s all it requires to go round.

“On a mission in a sub-national on the orders of higher authorities? How are the IGP and the AGF higher authorities to an elected governor of a state? This is a federalism for crying out loud. These chaps – federal and state governments – are meant to be partners. No one is subservient to the other. Period! Absolute claptrap!” he wrote.

Another social commentator, Richard Akintola, opined that the Nigerian police force through the yesterday disrespect to the governor has successfully rubbished the whole Nigerian governors.

“If you think it was Governor Sanwoolu that was rubbished by that CSP at Magodo yesterday, and you are having some orgasm, you got it wrong. It was the entire 36 governors operating in our defective federal structure. The abduction of Ngige as governor was masterminded by a civilian, aided and abetted by AIG Raphael Ige. Eventually, after the abortive coup, Ige was fired by the federal government, few months before he was due for retirement. The rest is history.

“We were all here when a CP, later AIG Joseph Mbu continuously humiliated Amaechi as Governor of Rivers state.what happened at Magodo yesterday was a sad development, where an Attorney General of the federation and the Inspector General of police could purportedly be enforcing a court judgment without court Sherrifs. It would therefore be simplistic to narrow that unfortunate incident to just Sanwoolu. It was a slap on the face of all the 36 governors and an affront on our constitutional democracy. It means a governor can still be abducted,” Akintola submitted.

While adding his own take to the incident, a human rights lawyer and social commentator, Barr. Kayode Ajulo, was of the opinion that the governor should be charged for contempt of the court.

“The context and the background leading to Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State face-off with the Chief Superintendent of Police at the Magodo Estates needs to be further interrogated.

“In all sincerity, the Governor, I must say is misguided, his extant action at the estates amount to grandstanding, incitement against constituted authority, and an attempt to subvert the cause of Justice.

“Only in our clime this could happened. The Governor and his government are parties in the matter, in fact they’re Judgment debtors.

“What’s expected of the Governor by his Oath of office is to ensure that the judgment of the court is executed or find a way of appeasing the Judgment Creditors, that’s enduring that justice is done to all parties.

“Whereas he is seen giving contrary order to the Judgment enforcement team lead by the CSP in a way to compromise the interests of the Judgment creditors.

“Save for his immunity, he ought to be arrested and charged for contempt of the court. Kudos to the police officer for his professionalism,” Ajulo said.

In his own opinion, Barrister Tubosun Osifowora, said Sanwo-Olu has reacted the best way possible.

“Wetin Sanwoolu eye no go see for Magodo Gate! Only God will help Sanwoolu in this Lagos. He call army, dem say na massacre, he engage police in civil conversation, dem say he weak. What happened yesterday took wisdom and God’s leading and a proactive Governor to manage. People in Magodo were ready for show down with police, some Don dey threaten to bring guns and start a face off with the police, Sanwo stepping in was apt and couldn’t have been handled better than he did. Even if the CSP lied using the name of the IG and AGF, dealing with him wasn’t on that spot. There are ways of checking and checkmating such. If any Governor would have done better than Sanwo did will only be known when same happens in their state. Until then, Sanwo na Man,” Osifowora said jokingly.

What do you think? Let’s have your takes in the comment section below.