By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor

STEPHEN Kehinde Aghe do is one of the front liners of EndSARS. He is the convener of Vanguard Liberation, fighting for injustice and against corrupt politicians in our society.

He is also into real estate and farming. He spoke about policing Lagos state, the recent NLC protests, Endsars and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

On Endsars

Well, EndSARS was a popular agitation about police brutality, police injustice, and police taking laws into their hands even after the court order. So, my involvement in EndSARS, as a member of the civil society, is a story that, if I should start today, it would not be easily included.

We all started End SARS together. Some of us are not in the country today, and End SARS started from the doorstep of the former Commissioner of Police, Lagos, who retired later as an Assistant Inspector General of Police. We all know beforeandafterwhathappened.

Security situation in Lagos To be fair, my activism and orientation does not mean that I will shy away from commending good efforts. I will not be so bitter in saying the truth and giving credit to whom it is due. Security ,in Lagos state, so far, so good. The executive governor of Lagos state has done so much in terms of equipping and funding security in Lagos state through all the security agencies, DSS, Police, Para-military, Army, Navy and what have you. With the level of insurgency in the country, today crime in Lagos state is not up to three or two per cent.

So, the police have been doing their best. So far, injustice in terms of police taking laws into their hands, harassing innocent citizens have reduce in Lagos state and the current Commissioner of Police, to an extent, deserves all the accolades. During the recent protest, he exhibited the best form of maturity, tenacity of purpose, diligence and fatherly role unequalled in the history of policing in Nigeria. When we talk about grass root policing, as a grass rooter relating to the rural area, having interaction with the citizens, the current CP of Lagos state, Mustapha Adegoke, is an enigma. I can now see reason why there was a vacuum, few months ago, when he was on course and police authorities had to wait for him to complete that course and resume duties in the state.

What he has achieved so far in policing Lagos has justified the vacuum created that time, waiting for him. When you talk about Lagos, you are talking about Nigeria. Questions were asked that time, though we had an acting CP but, why was there no substantive CP in Lagos state? They said the man went on course. Who is this man? I can see the reason why they waited for him to put the round peg in the round hole. So, policing Lagos state, so far, so good. He has done excellently well, at least, in controlling the hoodlums, checkmating crime and criminalities. It is obvious now that there is a new sheriff in town and he is doing well.

RECENT LABOUR PROTEST

There is a lot of pressure in the country. A lot of pressure is on the activists. An average Nigerian wants to hear from us that; ahh you guys have identified yourselves that you are freedom fighters. Look at what is happening in this country, insurgency, kidnapping, hunger strike, a lot of things that are supposed not to be written about in the media is happening. Labour embarked on warning protest. The CP of Lagos and the IG, the NSA, the DSS everybody is aware that there would be a protest in Lagos, and when Lagos sneezes, the whole of Nigeria will catch cold. For the first time in Lagos, at least I have been into activism for two decades now. I saw a new sheriff in town.

A very intelligent police officer who came in to meet us at the Nigerian Labour House in Yaba. Immediately he arrived at the labour house, what I just saw from him was a smile. His gentle smile killed the anger in us. You all know what is happening in the country now. The hunger is too much. Since the removal of fuel subsidy, the country is unsettled. He smiled and said, “Gentlemen, Nigeria is for you. Nigeria is for me. I would respect your job. I’d respect what you stand for.” He was referring to us the activists. I just want peace.”

For the first time in history, a commissioner of police in Lagos state joined a protest and succeeded in managing the situation to the extent of providing refreshments to both the protesters and the onlookers. You can’t compare the current CP Lagos to any other police officer, I stand to be corrected. In his era, he suppressed the tension and pressure. His action ensured that hoodlums or opposition people did not hijack our protest. The way this man came in, talked to us, the way his men coordinated themselves, marched from Yaba to Ojuelegba underbridge, from Ojuelegba under bridge to Maryland is very commendable.

Civil society is active Lately, we discovered that the economic situation of Nigeria is getting worse and the civil society is not relenting. The civil society is the hope of the common man. We will always be in the fore-front to make things work out, to speak for the people. We are not sleeping. We just did a protest in conjunction with the Nigerian Labour Congress. The way everybody will feel or the way everybody will act as a civil society might be different to my own view. We the young ones are tenaciously following the foot prints of our elders like Gani Fawehinmi, Yinka Odumakin and Joe Odumakin etc. Sowore is still there actively representing.

Remember that we have condemned the last statement by PresidentTinubu that the recent protest is political. I want you to put it on record that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a product of struggle. It’s a big shame for him to make that statement. We have a constitutional right to express our feelings. I am not a member of any political party. What Tinubu stood for before he became the president of this country today, he fought during the era of the military, he was a member of NADECO. Is he telling us that while he was fighting for the future of this country, quote and unquote, did they attach him to any political party? When he held down the military government to stand still, he went on exile, is he telling us then that there is a political party or an entity that sponsored him? No. Now there’s hunger everywhere, does hunger know any political party? How much is a loaf of bread now? A packet of Indomie, depending on the brand is N13, 000. That is the only food that the common man can be identified with.

A common man cannot take his children to Dominos pizza. Everything is skyrocketing everyday and you are saying that the agitation of the Labour is political. When you talk about civil society it’s beyond the boundary of political party.

Nigeria’s present situation

My view about what is happening in this country, Mr. President, if you want the smile and happiness of your fellow country men, take away the subsidy that you put in. Remove the price in duty rate, custom duty is on the high side and open the border. Nigeria is not producing anything so why are you closing borders? Can our farmers feed over 200 million citizens? We are not practising mechanised farming in this country. Are we going to be the one that will suffer for the corrupt government of Mohammed Buhari?

We are at the receiving end for crying out loud. So, the president cannot hold us not to protest over our right.

Advice to the police

My advice to the senior and junior hierarchy of the police is; first and foremost, don’t give yourself too cheap to any politician of any political party, even if your superior sends you to go and do some job, because the more you give yourself too cheap, the more what you stand for, what you pledged allegiance to Nigeria, will be eroded