Bad Roads: Rights Activists To Barricade Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway Wednesday

Human rights activists, under the auspices of the Committee For The Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), will on Wednesday December 13, 2023 barricade the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to protest against the bad condition of the road.

This was disclosed on Sunday by a top member of the group, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, who doubles as the President of the Centre For Human And Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) during the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of World Human Rights Day at the Rights House in Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme of the anniversary is “Freedom, Equity And Justice For All.”

Omotehinse stated that the constant accidents on the road has become a source of concern, saying that many people have lost their lives in the process.

“We will barricade the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Wednesday December 13 to protest against the bad state of the road. Its dillapidated state is embarrassing.

“Just two Saturdays ago, a fully loaded petrol tanker fell on the road and this claimed the life of a youth corps member in Kola Bus Stop. He was about to highlight from a commercial bus, when the petrol tanker fell on the bus in which he was travelling.

“We will gather at Meiran Bus Stop opposite Lateef Jakande Estate by 8am and we will be there with some members of the estate,” he said.

The activist faulted the Federal Government, who he said has been insensitive to the plight of the masses since the present government got into office.

He stated that none of the people in power today participated in the return of power to the civilians from the military, adding that over 90% of them were abroad during the struggle for a return to democratic government in the country.

Omotehinse said further that the only solution to the problems of Nigeria is for everybody to go his own way, saying that the current marriage is not working.

“We should go our separate ways, we are moving from frying pan to fire. We use an incumbent government to praise the immediate past government. Moreso, none of the presidential candidates of the three major parties has solutions to the problems of Nigeria.

“Let us be ready anytime we hear a clarion call to fight for the rights of the people. Be ready to come out whenever you are called upon. Let us engage the government,” he said.

The activist stated that they label some of them agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party because they moved against the closure of markets by the Lagos State Government then.

He said that street trading cannot be eradicated in Nigeria, where he said many people are jobless and prices of goods and services keep rising everyday.

Also speaking, the legal adviser of the Lagos State branch of CHSR, Comrade (Barrister) Olamilekan Martins said that it is surprising that human rights day is being celebrated, when the government keeps violating human rights.

Martins said that human rights ought to be a serious matter, and that world human rights day should have been a public holiday, where everyone would be educated on the importance of human rights.

“It has been difficult to fight for human rights because we have not come together as a group. People register organisations claiming to fight for human rights, but they are not functioning.

“When we talk about equity and justice, you don’t need to be a lawyer. Human rights does not end by going to the police station or a court. I wonder if we are truly in a democracy because so many things happen during elections in Nigeria,” he said.

Members of the group at the event also spoke against the directive that people should not enter police stations with their phones.

It was agreed that a protest would soon be staged to Zone 11 Police Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos to express the disapproval of the human rights community against the issue.