… Police warns Kuti Family
The Nigerian Police force,Lagos State command has issued a warning to the management of the African Shrine against hosting a symposium to look at the achievements and lessons from the nationwide protest.
The programme tagged “#EndSARS movement lessons and task” is organised by Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, scheduled to hold on Tuesday 17th,November,2020.
The police, however, warned against the gathering adding that it is a deliberate sabotage to the restoration of peace in the state.
The notice which was delivered to the Kuti family on Monday by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), S. O. Ahehoje of Alausa Police Division, cited the recent violence arising from the #EndSARS protests as its reason for calling for suspension of the programme.
“It is on this premise that I write that such a gathering or meeting planned to be hosted at your venue is not welcome at this perilous time when the security of the nation is trying to find her feet to stabilize all threat to life and properties.
“You are hereby warned to suspend such gathering as any infraction that may emerge from this gathering will be tagged a deliberate action to sabotage the transition and restoration of the peace in Lagos State by the Lagos state Government and the Nigeria police Force”, the letter read.
In a swift response to the letter, Seun Kuti took to his Twitter page and wrote that despite the police threat, the programme would continue but at a different location to respect the family’s decision.
Accoding to him,he is still disturbed why the police is hell bent on infringing on people’s right to freedom of association in a democratic state.
“So yesterday the government called my eldest sister @yeniakuti and threatened to close the shrine if I hold my event there tomorrow and also sent a letter to back it up. I respect my families decision not to hold the event as is but I will still go ahead with all the other.