Police explains siege on CDHR, Sahara Reporters offices

The Nigerian police has explained why its men laid a siege to the offices Sahara Reporters; and rights group, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), in Lagos on Wednesday.

Lagos Police Command spokesman, Bala Elkana, said the deployment of police to the areas was to serve as protection and ensure that law and order were maintained.

Elkana said, “They are there to provide security and ensure that there is no breach of peace.”

Earlier on Wednesday, contingents of armed police officers converge at the national secretariat of CDHR at Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja and Sahara reporters office at Isaac John, street, GRA Ikeja.

Their presence at both offices may not be unconnected with to the planned protest to demand the release of Omoyele Sowore from detention.

The CDHR has condemned the police invasion, describing it as a shock and an indication that the country was slipping into autocratic mode.

According to the President of CDHR, Malachy Ugwumadu, there is no justification for condoning off or restricting people from accessing their legitimate places of business.

He said, “The news of the invasion of the national secretariat of CDHR has come to me as a very rude shock. The Nigerian state is gradually slipping into an autocratic mode in which case they must remain very intolerable to any form of organised groupings, including divergent views.

“But to now reverse the gains we have made over 30 years ago regarding our fundamental rights to freely assemble and associate is a very sad commentary.

“I condemn the siege that is presently placed on the national secretariat of CDHR. If there is any reason why they came there at all, that reason must have been public information. You don’t plan anything untoward and then give a public notice to that effect.

“Therefore, if Nigerians have agreed to meet at the national secretariat of CDHR that has consistently played the same role even under the military for 30 years, I do not see any justification for this and we are going to find out exactly why our office was cordoned off this morning as early as 6 am and they are still there. I will put a call across to the commissioner of police as to why such action was taken or necessary.”