Nigerian activist Omoyele Sowore accuses Lagos police of planting an IED in Ikeja to discredit the #EndBadGovernance protest. The police had deactivated the device found near a police station. Sowore and others claim this move is a government ploy to undermine the protest and justify a crackdown.
On July 31, 2024, the Lagos State Police Command's anti-bomb squad successfully deactivated an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Ikeja area, just hours before the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest. The device, found near a police station, was reportedly placed by an unregistered vehicle.
However, the incident has sparked controversy. Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist, accused the Nigerian police of planting the IED themselves to discredit the upcoming protest. In a tweet, Sowore claimed that the police intended to blame "foreign mercenaries" for the device to undermine the protest and justify a violent crackdown. He urged people not to fall for what he described as propaganda.
Critics argue that the police's actions are part of a broader attempt to suppress dissent and manipulate public perception. Many are using the hashtag #EndBadGovernance to call for an end to what they see as government overreach and corruption. As the protest looms, the debate over the IED incident continues to fuel tensions and skepticism among Nigerians.
