CHSR Calls for Removal of Lagos CP Over Owode Market Mistreatment, Alleged Killings
By Mercy Obot
The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) demands the immediate removal of Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, over the alleged criminalisation of peaceful protests, mistreatment and killings of victims of illegal demolitions in Owode Market and communities across Lagos.
This was contained in a statement on Monday during a press conference at the International Press Centre, Lagos State, on February 2, 2026.
Addressing journalists, the president of the CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, accused the police of intimidation, manipulation, and spreading of false narratives following recent protests against illegal demolitions and forced evictions, particularly at the Owode Onirin Motor Spare Parts Market.
“We are compelled to address Nigerians and the international community on the disturbing, provocative, and deeply troubling conduct of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh.
Following the inhuman treatment meted out to unarmed citizens peacefully protesting against illegal demolition and forceful evictions of ravaged communities across Lagos State.
Read Also: Ibom Air Fracas: Rights Group Calls for Investigation into Inhumane Treatment
“We unequivocally condemn the use of intimidation, coercion, and state-sponsored manipulation aimed at isolating Owode Onirin marketers from other demolition-affected communities across Lagos State,” Omotehinse said.
The human rights group also insisted on the immediate removal of CP Moshood Jimoh, citing what it described as a lack of leadership tolerance.
“We demand the immediate removal of CP Moshood Jimoh as Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, for being too temperamental and lack of leadership tolerance.”
The organisation recalled the alleged killing of six Owode Onirin traders during protests on August 27, 2025, as well as the deaths of other residents in communities affected by demolitions across the state.
Adding that, “those six Owode Onirin young Nigerians were not statistics, they were sons, breadwinners, and victims of a brutal alliance between state actors, land grabbers, armed thugs, and compromised security operatives.”
Regarding the protesters, Omotehinse dismissed claims that they were “rented crowds,” describing such allegations as reckless and dangerous.
He stated that the Commissioner of Police’s suggestion that civil society actors are not from the affected communities, or that protesters were rented, “is not just false, but it is insulting and dangerous.”
The organisation also noted that it has been involved in the Owode Onirin struggle since March 2025, when the market association formally sought its intervention following signs of encroachment and impending demolition.
“CHSR did not appear yesterday. We were invited, our actions have been documented, lawful, peaceful, and transparent,” Comrade Omotehinse said.
The group also criticised CP Moshood Jimoh’s recent visit and press briefing at the Owode Market, accusing him of employing a divide-and-rule strategy.
It demanded a public retraction of statements credited to the Commissioner of Police, an independent investigation into the alleged killings in Owode Onirin and other affected communities, and the prosecution of all those involved.
While the human rights body calls for justice, compensation, and restoration for victims of illegal demolitions, CHSR reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of Owode Onirin traders and all other demolition-affected communities across Lagos State.
Speaking further, the President of the Voice of the Masses and Support for Credible Leadership (VMSCL), Comrade Ibrahim Oluwatobiloba, stated that a Commissioner of Police must develop a thick skin and it is his duty to protect citizens, not to oppress the very people he is meant to serve.
He further stressed that no government has the right to demolish people’s homes without first ensuring adequate compensation and protection for those affected.
Adding her voice, a member of Community Women Initiative (CWI), Comrade Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi said women were the most affected in this situation as many were left homeless, and their livelihoods were taken away in the process across these communities.
“This is like sending people to early graves, all in the name of building megacities.”
She, however, called on the Lagos State Government to create a channel for dialogue with the people and to provide alternatives before taking their homes.
