News
June 12: Lekki calm, peaceful
Lekki Tollgate
The Lekki area of Lagos, which witnessed massive violence during the EndSARS protests, was generally calm on Saturday as residents shunned calls for protests to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
NAN correspondents, who visited Admiralty Lekki and Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Gates, observed that the areas were calm in spite of rumours of protests in some parts of Lagos.
It was observed that vehicles were moving freely on the Lekki-Epe expressway with security agents deployed to the toll gates to ensure peace and orderliness.
Both toll gates were centres of violence during the EndSARS protest which took place on Oct. 20, 2020.
Many youths had gathered there to express their grievances over alleged Police brutality.
On Saturday, pedestrians were seen moving about their businesses, while shops and supermarkets were opened to attend to customers.
Two residents of the area expressed joy over that calmness.
“Many people with businesses in the area recorded huge loses, so no one will want to experience such crisis again,” one of them, Mr Emmanuel Ndubuisi said.
He said that the October 20 crisis taught many residents lessons they would not forget in a hurry.
“I am happy we are at peace in this part of Lagos; this is how a sane society should be,” Ndubuisi said.
The other resident, Mr Tosin Adeboyejo, urged youths to pursue peace at all times and develop themselves.
Adeboyejo said: “The youth in our country are our future; parents, guardians and even the government must invest in them.
“The youth themselves should also develop themselves by ensuring they get good education, and skills so that they can be useful to both themselves and society.”
Democracy Day, now celebrated annually on June 12, used to be held annually on May 29.
The change in date was to mark the sanctity of the June 12, 1993 presidential election generally presumed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola.
It is also generally adjudged as one of the freest and fairest elections ever held in the country.
The election was, however, annulled by the then military head of state, retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, on June 24, 1993.
