BREAKING: Lagos Police Arraign Activists ‘Soweto’, Frank Over Protest Against Forced Evictions, Demolitions

SaharaReporters learnt that human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), was in court to represent the protesters.

The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday arraigned the detained activist Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as “Soweto,” another protest leader, Dele Frank, and other anti-demolition and forced eviction protesters before the Yaba Magistrate Court for alleged felony following a coffin-carrying protest that allegedly blocked major roads in Ikeja on Wednesday.

SaharaReporters learnt that human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), was in court to represent the protesters.

Soweto, a leading member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and spokesperson for the #EndBadGovernance Movement in Lagos, was arrested by the officers of the Lagos State Police Command while participating in a protest against the demolition and forced eviction of residents from Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode Onirin and other low-income communities across the state.

The police, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said both men were being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, over their alleged roles in what the Command described as a violent and unlawful demonstration.

According to the police, the protest began at the Ikeja Under Bridge, where demonstrators blocked Awolowo Road for several hours, extending down to Alausa.

The protesters were said to have carried a coffin, mounted loudspeakers on a vehicle, and barricaded major routes, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The Command claimed the blockade prevented residents with medical emergencies from accessing hospitals and disrupted travellers heading to the airport, creating panic and chaos in Ikeja and Alausa.

Count one of the charges against Soweto, Frank and other protesters read, “That you Taiwo Hassan A.K.A Soweto, Dele Frank, and others at large, on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: conduct likely to cause breach of peace threatening, violence, unlawful assembly and obstructing the free flow of traffic and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

Count two read, “That you Taiwo Hassan A.K.A Soweto, Dele Frank and others still at large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District threatened to harm member of public who fail to join the protest against Lagos State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 56 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

Count three of the charges read, “That you Taiwo Hassan A.K.A Soweto, Dele Frank, and others still at large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District conducted yourselves in a manner to cause the breach of peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

In Count four, the police alleged, “That you Taiwo Hassan A.K.A Soweto, Dele Frank, and others still at large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District did obstruct the flow of traffic by blocking the public high way with vehicle carrying public address system and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 (C) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The police in count five alleged, “That you Taiwo Hassan A.K.A Soweto, Dele Frank, and others still at large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District do sing abusive song against the police and the Lagos State Government with intent to provoke and tarnish the image of the Lagos State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 (C) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

Meanwhile, several human rights groups have condemned the police brutality and arrest of Soweto and other protesters during a peaceful protest against forced eviction and demolitions in Lagos State communities by the state government.

The groups accused the police and state authorities of repression, brutality, and disregard for the constitutional rights of the protesters.