Police in Lagos State have cautioned Nigerian students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) against blocking the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge as part of their continued protest against the eight-month-old ASUU strike.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson of the Lagos Police Command, issued the warning on Wednesday, according to Channels Television.
Hundeyin conceded that the students or other groups have the right to protest but do not have the right to restrict others’ movement.
“They can protest, but they can’t infringe on other people’s right to movement,” the police spokesperson was quoted by the Television station as saying.
He disclosed that police officers had been deployed to the end of the Third Mainland Bridge, which spans over 11.8km, to prevent any blockage.
Earlier in a string of tweets, the police spokesman on Wednesday said protesters could not hold about 20 million Lagosians to ransom by blocking major roads and preventing them from going about their socio-economic activities.
“Our officers led by DPO Adeniji Adele, CSP Lanre Edegbai, are fully on the ground at that end of the bridge. The same applies to other points. Have no fear. We got you covered.
“We will not allow any person or group of persons to deprive Lagosians of their Right to Freedom of Movement. Everyone’s rights must be respected!” he tweeted.
According to reports, aggrieved students had threatened to block the Third Mainland Bridge. The bridge, reputed to be the busiest in Nigeria, alongside the Carter Bridge and Eko Bridge, connects the Island area of Lagos to the mainland.
A national executive member of the National Association of Nigerian Students, however, told Channels Television on Wednesday that the body will no longer execute its plan.
Elendu Reports had reported that the protesting students on Monday blocked the access roads to the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos, paralysing activities in the axis, with many flights rescheduled as passengers were stranded in the gridlock for over eight hours.
The protesting students had last week blocked the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Ibadan-Ife Road.
NANS also threatened to block the Kaduna-Abuja Road and roads leading to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja to drive home their demands.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has dragged ASUU before the National Industrial Court, and the court has adjourned the case to today.
