*”Defendants Sang Abusive Songs Against Police And Lagos Government” — Prosecutor Alleges Soweto, Dele Frank Granted N200,000 Bail Each
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The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday arraigned activist Hassan Taiwo (Soweto) and Dele Frank before the Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court over their alleged roles in a protest against illegal demolitions, forcible evictions and land grabbing at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The police charged them with five counts of conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, threats, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic and singing abusive songs against the police and the Lagos State Government.
Prosecutor Anthony Ihiehie told the court that the defendants conspired on January 28, 2026, at Allen Avenue, Alausa and the Assembly premises to engage in actions capable of causing a breach of peace, including threatening members of the public and obstructing traffic.
The charge sheet detailed the following allegations:
Count One – Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace: “That you TAIWO HASSAN A.K.A SOWETO ‘M’, DELE FRANK ‘M’ and others still at Large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District, conducted yourselves in a manner to cause the breach of peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
Count Two – Obstruction of Traffic: “That you TAIWO HASSAN A.K.A SOWETO ‘M’, DELE FRANK ‘M’ and others still at Large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District, obstructed the flow of traffic by blocking the public high way with vehicle carrying public address system and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 (C) the Criminal Law of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2015.”
Count Three – Singing Abusive Songs: “That you TAIWO HASSAN A.K.A SOWETO ‘M’, DELE FRANK ‘M’ and others still at Large on the 28th day of January, 2026 at Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises, Lagos within the aforementioned Magisterial District did sing abusive songs against the police and the Lagos State Government with intent to provoke and tarnish the image of the Lagos State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 57 (C) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
The police also alleged that the activists threatened to harm members of the public who did not join the protest, and sang “abusive songs” against the Lagos state government in a bid to incite the public.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A mild drama occurred when human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, announced his appearance for the defendants, and the prosecutor objected, citing a 2025 Oyo court decision allegedly barring Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from appearing before lower courts.
Falana countered that the Constitution and Lagos Magistrates’ Court Law expressly permit any legal practitioner, regardless of rank, to appear in magistrates’ courts.
The objection sparked a brief legal argument on whether Senior Advocates can represent clients in magistrate courts, with the prosecutor insisting on the Oyo court precedent while Falana relied on constitutional provisions.
Ruling on the objection, Magistrate I.O. Alaka agreed with Falana, stating emphatically that “the rank of SAN is not a restriction.”
The magistrate’s ruling effectively settled the question of whether Senior Advocates of Nigeria can appear before magistrate courts, affirming that legal practitioners of any rank are permitted to do so under existing laws.
This ruling is significant as it clarifies the position of the law on the appearance of SANs in lower courts, rejecting the prosecutor’s attempt to rely on an alleged Oyo State court decision.
The court subsequently granted the defendants bail of N200,000 each with two sureties and adjourned the case to March 11, 2026, for mention.
The bail conditions require each defendant to provide two sureties who must meet the court’s requirements for granting bail.
On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, protesters gathered at the Ikeja under-bridge in Lagos for demonstrations over the demolition exercises in Makoko, Owode Onirin, Oworonshoki, Otumara and Baba-Ijora communities.
The protesters, drawn from communities including Makoko, Oworonshoki, Owode-Onirin and Oko Baba, moved through Obafemi Awolowo road to the Lagos assembly complex in Alausa to demand proper relocation plans and compensation following the demolition of their properties.
Some protesters also called for justice over residents who reportedly lost their lives during previous demolition exercises.
At the Lagos legislature, police operatives fired tear gas after the demonstrators insisted on entering the complex before any official could address them.
Amid the fumes, protesters and journalists scampered for safety.
Some of the protesters, including Hassan Taiwo (Soweto) and Dele Frank, were arrested by the police during the demonstration.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Olohundare, has denied reports that police officers shot at residents protesting against the demolition of their homes, insisting that no firearm was discharged during the protest.
Olohundare spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, following widespread outrage over claims that a protester was shot in the leg during the demonstration at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.
A photograph showing an injured protester being assisted to hospital had circulated widely on social media, with claims that the individual was shot by the police. Reports also emerged about arrests, triggering condemnation from human rights groups, activists and social media users.
Reacting to the allegations, the police commissioner dismissed claims of gunfire.
“No gun was fired throughout the entire process of the protests yesterday,” Olohundare said. “What we used was the minimum force of using teargas to disperse them.”
He said police officers were deployed early to provide security and prevent criminal elements from hijacking the protest.
“We moved in on time at Ikeja Under Bridge to provide security for them so that hoodlums and miscreants won’t go in,” he said. “We equally received intelligence reports that hoodlums and miscreants, some of them carrying dangerous weapons, were already in their midst.”
Olohundare said the situation escalated when unidentified individuals joined the protest and disrupted traffic on Awolowo Way, Ikeja.
“Yesterday, unknown groups surfaced, joined the protesters and started chanting war songs and moved to the House of Assembly, blocking the entire Awolowo Way to the House of Assembly road,” he said.
According to him, the blockage caused serious inconvenience and posed risks to members of the public.
“People were trapped in traffic, people who have medical conditions. We had reports of people who fainted in their cars and they were rushed for medical help,” the police commissioner said.
While acknowledging the right to protest, Olohundare stressed that the police remain committed to protecting peaceful demonstrations.
“Protest is good. We know protest is freedom of expression and part of the essentials of democracy,” he said. “For every protest that happens in Lagos, we have police to protect it in a peaceful way. So no gun was fired.”
The arraignment of Hassan Taiwo (Soweto) and Dele Frank highlights the ongoing tension between residents of demolished communities and the Lagos State Government over forcible evictions and lack of adequate compensation.
The case also raises important questions about the limits of lawful protest, freedom of expression, and the use of force by law enforcement during demonstrations.
The involvement of Femi Falana, SAN, one of Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyers, signals the significance of the case and the likelihood of a robust legal defense focused on constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
The magistrate’s ruling on the right of SANs to appear in lower courts is also significant for the legal profession, as it clarifies that there are no restrictions based on professional rank for appearance in magistrate courts.
As the case proceeds, it will be closely watched by civil society organizations, human rights groups, and communities affected by demolitions across Lagos State.
The matter has been adjourned to March 11, 2026, for mention, and further developments are expected as the prosecution and defense prepare their cases.
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