Mohbad’s Sympathisers Dispersed With Teargas At Lekki Tollgate After Procession

Tear gas was reportedly used to disperse many fans of the late Afrobeat singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, who had gathered for a candlelight procession in his memory on Thursday, September 21, 2023. The candlelight procession occurred at Muri Okunola Park on Victoria Island around 8 p.m. However, after the parade concluded, sympathizers who proceeded to the Lekki tollgate were allegedly dispersed with tear gas at around 11 p.m.

In a video shared on Twitter, a popular skit maker, Oluwadolaz, claimed, “We were dispersed with tear gas…” Another video showed one of the sympathizers being assisted to safety by fellow mourners with his proper leg bleeding. It was alleged that the injured sympathizer had been shot by the police.

Many Nigerians have questioned why the sympathizers gathered at the Lekki tollgate, which was the site of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS protests where soldiers reportedly opened fire on peaceful protesters.

In response to the situation, a popular On-Air Personality, Do2dtun, confirmed on his social media handle that the procession had concluded at 8 p.m. He expressed confusion as to why the sympathizers had moved to the #EndSARS site, emphasizing that the event was a candlelight procession and not a protest.

“Honesty over Honesty Nigerians do not listen. WE DO THE MOST. This procession ended at Muri Okunola Park over 3 hours ago. We ended and all left. Some still went to converge at the Lekki toll gate. It is not a protest. It is a CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION,” he said.

Honesty over Honesty Nigerians do not listen. WE DO THE MOST. This procession ended at Muri Okunola park over 3 hours ago. We ended and all left. Some still went to converge at the Lekki toll gate. It is not a protest. It is a CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION

— Do2dtun Energy gAD (@iamDo2dtun) September 21, 2023

In another post, the OAP while blaming the police for allegedly firing tear gas at the sympathisers said the sympathisers too should have applied common sense because the procession could have been hijacked and turned into something else.

“It’s not a right for the police to do that but people hijack these things & turn it to something else. Muri okunola was approved & it was a peaceful candle procession. it’s just common sense. The people that went home, are they stupid? Apply this thing sometimes. Na Lagos we dey,” he said.

It’s not a right for the police to do that but people hijack these things & turn it to something else. Muri okunola was approved & it was a peaceful candle procession. it’s just commonsense. The people that went home, are they stupid? Apply this thing some times. Na Lagos we dey

— Do2dtun Energy gAD (@iamDo2dtun) September 21, 2023

Commenting on the matter, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi resisted the urge to describe the procession as a protest.

“I am not against candlelight procession, I don’t want to call it a protest, I call it a procession, even police can do a procession to honour somebody. It is to honour the dead and pray for his soul,” he said.

The candlelight procession was organised by the management of the late singer.