By Kelvin Adegbenga
The Nigeria Police Force, as established under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Police Act, has both the statutory and moral authority to maintain law and order, prevent and detect crime, and ensure public safety. Among its powers is the right to declare any individual wanted, particularly those who either flout the law or refuse to honour official police invitations.
This power is not arbitrary; it is a key tool for enforcing accountability and deterring lawlessness. When an individual deliberately disregards lawful summons or engages in actions that threaten public peace and safety, the police are duty-bound to act. In a country governed by laws, no citizen, regardless of political affiliation or social standing, is above the law.
The recent incident involving Mr. Omoyele Sowore, who led an illegal protest and caused disruption on the busy Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, is a glaring example of such disregard for order. His actions, which resulted in significant traffic gridlock and economic losses to the state, were not only reckless but amounted to economic sabotage. Lagos, being Nigeria’s commercial hub, cannot afford deliberate attempts to paralyze its economy under the guise of activism.
It is important to note that the Oworonshoki community, where Sowore sought to stage chaos, has already been duly compensated by the Lagos State Government over previous infrastructural activities in the area. The residents have since moved forward peacefully.
Sowore, who is neither a resident nor a stakeholder in the community, had no moral or legal basis to invade their space and incite unrest. His action can only be interpreted as an attempt to provoke disorder and undermine lawful governance.
In every civilized democracy, the right to protest is recognized, but it comes with clear responsibilities. Protests must be peaceful, lawful, and properly coordinated with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of participants and the public. When activism crosses into anarchy, it ceases to be a democratic exercise and becomes a criminal offence.
Therefore, the Nigeria Police would be acting fully within their constitutional mandate to declare Mr. Sowore wanted if he refuses to honour an invitation for questioning or continues to incite unrest. Law enforcement cannot fold its arms while individuals deliberately endanger lives, obstruct economic activity, and distort public peace.
The law must take its full course on violators of Lagos State’s regulations, regardless of who they are. The days when self-styled activists could exploit public sympathy to justify illegality should be long gone. Nigeria’s democracy thrives only when freedom is balanced with responsibility.
Mr. Sowore’s latest theatrics on the Third Mainland Bridge are not acts of courage, they are acts of recklessness. It is high time Nigerians called such behaviour what it truly is: a willful attempt to sow chaos under the pretext of activism*. The police must stand firm and uphold the law, not as oppressors, but as protectors of peace, order, and progress.
The law is clear, the mandate is legal, and the message should be simple, no one is above the law.
Kelvin Adegbenga writes from Ikeja, Lagos. Email;; kelvinadegbenga@yahoo.com @kelvinadegbenga
