According to the residents, the activities of developer, Femi Adelaja and his company, Floral Cobalt Limited, have been hindering their fishing activities, identified as their major source of survival.
Residents of Mainland Foreshore in Lagos Lagoon, Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro and Iwaya have lamented the dredging the Lagos Lagoon.
According to the residents, the activities of developer, Femi Adelaja and his company, Floral Cobalt Limited, have been hindering their fishing activities, identified as their major source of survival.
They alleged that they were attacked by thugs allegedly working for developer alongside police officers from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at Panti, Lagos State.
The residents protested on Thursday, appealing to the state government to intervene.
During the protest, the residents were reportedly arrested, leading to allegations of heavy-handed tactics by both the developer's supporters and the police.
Speaking with SaharaReporters on Thursday, lawyer Ayo Ademiluyi, Esq., noted that prior to the protest, his clients had informed the police authorities at the State CID, Panti.
However, the police then invited them based on complaints from local chiefs, who were allegedly bankrolled by the developer.
He said, "A body of residents in the Mainland Foreshore of Lagos Lagoon, who are under siege by a developer named Femi Adelaja and his company, Floral Cobalt Limited. They have been dredging the Lagos Lagoon and hindering the residents' fishing activities, which are their primary means of survival."
Ademiluyi told SaharaReporters that his clients were brutally attacked by sponsored thugs working with some local chiefs on the payroll of the developer and his company.
He also alleged that police officers from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, who are next-door neighbours to his clients, are also involved.
He said, "Our clients informed us that, prior to the protest, they had notified the Police authorities at the State CID, Panti, who had invited them based on complaints from the same local chiefs being bankrolled by the developer, Femi Adelaja.
"Our clients explained that after hearing their genuine grievances, the top command of the State CID, Panti, was assured of their peaceful intentions and directed them to meet with DPO Adekunle, who would provide police officers to ensure the success of the protest.
"However, our clients stated that upon meeting with the DPO Adekunle, he threw them out of his office, even after he was made to know that his superiors were the ones who directed them to him.”
Ademiluyi explained that, in a surprising twist, early Thursday morning, as his clients began to wind down their peaceful protest, they were attacked by thugs allegedly sponsored by the developer and local chiefs allegedly on his payroll.
He added that despite his clients' repeated calls to the authorities at the State CID Panti to fulfill their promise of securing their lives, the authorities responded by arresting his clients, who were under attack, rather than apprehending the attackers in a complete ironical manner.
"We hereby appeal for calls to be made to SP Hundeyin, the Police PRO of Lagos State Command. This is to request that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fayoade, intervenes by instructing the officers at the State CID Panti to release our clients and to avert unnecessary crisis in Lagos State," he said.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Lagos State Command spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, for comment, he did not answer calls or reply to the messages sent to him.