By Adenike Ajanlekoko
The recent controversy surrounding the protest in Oworonshoki has once again brought to light a troubling pattern in the conduct of Omoyele Sowore, an individual who consistently masks disruptive civic disorder under the guise of activism.
Intelligence gathered by the Nigeria Police Force clearly indicated that Sowore’s actions directly triggered the breach of traffic flow in the Owonshonki axis of Lagos, following his mobilisation of hoodlums, deployment of a truck, and use of a public address system to ignite the protest against the community demolition exercise.
This intelligence was not speculative, nor was it conjured after the fact. On the contrary, Sowore himself left a trail of self-incriminating evidence across his social media platforms. His livestreams, posts, and the interviews he proudly granted to a Lagos-based television station showed beyond doubt that he actively led and energised the protest.
His rhetoric, amplified through a truck-mounted PA system, was not merely expressive; it was instigating. The resulting gridlock, which caused hours of disruption for commuters and residents, was a direct consequence of his deliberate orchestration.
Yet, in a curious twist, Sowore’s counsel now argues before the court that “the alleged intelligence by the police came after Sowore had filed the suit”, a line of argument that collapses under even the lightest scrutiny. It is astonishing for a lawyer to suggest, implicitly, that he has insider knowledge of police intelligence-gathering timelines and methodologies. Counsel is neither an investigator nor a trained intelligence operative; he is in no position to assert when or how intelligence was obtained by the police. Such a claim is not only baseless, but it is also presumptuous.
Even more, it seeks to divert attention from the core facts: Sowore mobilised a crowd, facilitated logistics for the protest, publicly amplified his involvement, and directly contributed to the obstruction of public peace and traffic. These are facts he cannot dispute, for he broadcast them himself.
It is on this basis that I join the counsel to the Commissioner of Police, Barrister Anthony Iyeye, in urging the court to dismiss Sowore’s suit in its entirety for lacking substance, lacking evidence, and lacking merit. The suit appears designed not to uphold justice but to preempt accountability and cast the police in a negative light for simply doing their job.
The court should not allow itself to be drawn into theatrics. The Nigeria Police Force acted within the ambit of the law, relying on clear intelligence and publicly available evidence.
Sowore’s suit does nothing to challenge the facts; it merely attempts to question the timing and existence of intelligence he has no authority or expertise to speak on.
Ultimately, the issue is straightforward: public order was breached, and the instigator documented and publicised his own involvement. No amount of legal grandstanding can rewrite that reality.
The suit deserves only one outcome: dismissal.
Adenike Ajanlekoko is the spokesperson for the South West Youth Alliance and writes from Festac Town, Lagos State. email: nywgs@gmail.com
