The stage is set for a showdown, perhaps even a bloody one reminiscent of the October 2020 EndSARS rally that took place at the Lekki Toll Gate.
The combatants: Nigeria’s security forces; and renegade, separatist group led by Sunday Igboho who, surprisingly, re-activated his participation in the Lagos ‘Yoruba Nation’ mega rally he called off on Thursday.
On air and by every means, the Police, Army, and Department of State Services (DSS) showed they were ready to quell the rally rolling out anti-riot equipment to show readiness, and to deter.
The Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, who placed a blanket ban on all forms of rallies in Lagos on July 3, with a stern warning to Igboho and other agitators not to stage any rally in Lagos.
Odumosu had said the police would not take chances or allow the scenario of the #EndSARS protests to recur.
He stated that anyone caught participating or facilitating the rally would be dealt with according to the law.
If the rally mobilisers go through with their boast, the streets of Lagos may well not be the place to be on Saturday, July 3.
Sunday Igboho says the peaceful rally would hold and he would participate in it.
He had, after the raid on his Soka, Ibadan house, in the early hours of Thursday, that claimed lives, cancelled his participation in the rally.
What snapped in him is still a matter of conjecture.
Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, announced on Friday,, in a live video on Facebook, “I can still confirm officially that the Lagos rally in as much as whatever news or rumours you’ve been listening to from different outlets, will go as planned
“The 3rd of July Mega rally will go as planned. All arrangements for the rally has been planned and nothing has changed.
“I have spoken to the organisers, nothing has changed so far. 3rd of July from exactly 9:00 am in the morning. The whole arrangement and planning is going on.
“I’ve spoken with the General Secretary of Ilana Omo Odua, George Akinola, and also in the early hours before noon, I spoke with Banji Akintoye and he is working tirelessly for the release of those taken away.
“The rally in Lagos is going to be a peaceful rally, it is going to be a mega rally, do not be disturbed about what happened. So many development took place at Igboho’s house.
“We might get a form of a video from Igboho about the Lagos rally, which might be released, we’ll be deciding that in the next 24 hours.”