CHSR Condemns Alleged Distortion Of Facts By Lagos Assembly Committee Chairman ...Demands Immediate Release Of Hassan Soweto And Other Detainees

The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has said that it is deeply perturbed by the alleged "misleading, fabricated, and poorly crafted rejoinder" issued by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Ogundipe Stephen Olukayode, "regarding the brutal suppression of peaceful demolition victim protesters at the Assembly complex" on Wednesday January 28, 2026.

CHSR said in a statement by its President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, dated January 29, that as a human rights organization with years of engagement in civic advocacy and state accountability, it "finds it alarming and indeed tragic that a public officer elected to represent the people would descend so low to the level of distorting facts in the public space in order to justify repression, excuse police brutality, and criminalize constitutionally guaranteed peaceful protest."

"Contrary to the fabricated lies and claims made by Hon. Ogundipe, at no time did protesters attempt to forcefully gain entrance into the Lagos State House of Assembly complex.

"We have enough media, eyewitnesses, independent observers, and video evidence clearly establish that the protest was peaceful, orderly, and non-violent. Protesters many of whom are elderly men and women, already rendered homeless and dehumanized by ongoing demolitions under the Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

"In fact, Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as Soweto, and other civil society organizations leaders present at the protest ground repeatedly addressed the protesters, urging calm and discipline.

"At a critical moment, we directed protesters to sit on the floor peacefully, while arrangements were being made to distribute gala and sachet water. This singular act alone dismantles the false narrative of an “unruly” or “violent” protest," the statement read.

Omotehinse added that it was in the midst of this "peaceful assembly that security operatives launched a barbaric attack, deploying teargas against unarmed citizens many of them aged, displaced, and traumatized by forced evictions and we all scamper for safety as the police continue shooting teargas repeatedly and direct to us."

CHSR, he said, finds it unconscionable that a state actors, "most especially the likes of Ogundipe that was elected to represent his people would attempt to rewrite this shameful episode by blaming victims for the violence unleashed upon them in his presence, very shameful."

He said; "The use of force was neither preventive nor proportionate, it was punitive, excessive, and wholly inconsistent with democratic norms.

"It is barbaric for Ogundipe to claim that lawmakers were engaging protesters “in good faith” while on recess rings hollow. Good faith engagement does not occur at gunpoint, under teargas, or in an environment of intimidation.

"Moreover, the assertion by Ogundipe that protesters “rejected dialogue” is nothing but a gross misrepresentation.

"Dialogue does not mean issuing instructions to traumatized citizens while denying them meaningful access to justice or accountability, dialogue must be humane, sincere, and backed by action not lies and misleading statement that evaporate under the excuse of legislative recess.

"CHSR strongly condemns the attempt to demonise Hassan Soweto by portraying him as abusive or provocative, raising one’s voice against injustice, state violence, and systemic oppression does not amount to criminality.

"The reckless attempt by Hon. Ogundipe to justify his arrest through character assassination is a dangerous signal to civic actors across Lagos State and the society at large, that speaking truth to power may be met with detention, brutality, and public vilification."

He stressed that "while the Assembly seeks to distance itself from police actions, it cannot absolve itself of moral responsibility, when citizens are attacked at the gate of the people’s parliament, silence, deflection, or bureaucratic excuses amount to complicity.

"The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended) guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, that right does not go on recess."

He said further that it is in "public domain that the Lagos State House of Assembly members few days ago was reported that in one of its  plenary sitting unanimously agrees and all the 40 members endorsed and support the ongoing demolition in Makoko and it's environs, therefore for Ogundipe and the Assembly to deny what happened in his presence is not a surprise to us in CHSR."

"To set the record straight, the only offence Soweto committed against the Lagos commissioner of police is his continuous and repeated emphasizing the fact that the police kills victims at various demolition areas like Owode, Oworonshoki, Makoko and other through gunshot and teargas. The CP Moshood Jimoh took the statement personal by calling Soweto names and at a point the CP called some of us that Soweto is insulting him that we should separate ourself from him that he will dealt with him (Soweto).

"The Commissioner of Police Moshood Jimoh even descend so low by asking and saying in a Yoruba language that "Se Iyalaya Soweto le dii Commissioner of Police ni" that can Soweto great grandmother become a commissioner of police? and that he will dealt with him.

"This singular show of shame and the ordering of his policemen to open fire and teargas innocent and harmless protesters    exposes and prove that the CP Moshood Jimoh who has suddenly turned himself to the spokes person of the draconian Sanwoolu government does not fit the office he is presently occupying," he said.

CHSR then demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Hassan Soweto and all other arrested protesters and the seized musical truck, an independent and transparent investigation into the excessive use of force against peaceful protesters and an immediate halt to forced evictions and demolitions without humane alternatives, genuine consultation, lawful resettlement, and a "public retraction of misleading statements credited to Hon. Ogundipe Stephen aimed at justifying repression and distorting the truth."

Omotehinse said that public office is a trust, not a license to mislead, adding that "history will not be kind to those who choose propaganda over truth, repression over dialogue, and brutality over justice."

"CHSR stands firmly with displaced communities, peaceful protesters, and all Nigerians demanding dignity, accountability, and the right to be heard," he said.