More than a thousand traders at the bustling Owode Onirin Spare Parts Market on Friday turned what could have been a routine engagement into a powerful show of appreciation and solidarity with the Lagos State Police Command.
In a warm and colourful reception marked by songs, cheers and spontaneous applause, the traders hosted the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, to a “thank-you” gathering inside the market- an event they said was meant to publicly reaffirm their trust in the police and dispel narratives suggesting friction between both sides.
From the moment CP Jimoh arrived, he was surrounded by jubilant traders who formed a protective ring around him, walking alongside as he toured sections of the market affected by last year’s violence. For many, it was a familiar sight. Friday’s visit marked the fourth time the police chief has personally come to the market since the tragic incident of August 27, which claimed lives and disrupted livelihoods.
Market leaders said the gesture was deliberate.
“We want the whole world to know that Owode Onirin traders are not fighting the police,” one of the leaders declared. “The Lagos CP is our own. He stood by us when we were grieving and confused, and he has never abandoned us.”
According to the traders, their gratitude stems from the police response to the crisis that followed the activities of an alleged land grabber who unleashed violence in the market last year. They said the suspect has since been arrested, while police officers allegedly brought in from outside Lagos State for the illegal operation have been disciplined.
They also commended CP Jimoh for maintaining constant communication with market leaders and ensuring police protection whenever they staged peaceful protests to the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“Since that incident, we have had police operatives protecting this market day and night,” another leader said. “We receive updates on the investigation, and that is why we distanced ourselves from Wednesday’s protest when we noticed it had a negative agenda.”
Addressing the gathering in both English and Yoruba, CP Jimoh thanked the traders for their overwhelming show of confidence and support, describing it as deeply encouraging. He reassured them that justice remains a priority and that the police would continue to protect lives, property and legitimate businesses across Lagos.
The commissioner also used the opportunity to clarify the police position on the protest that took place in Ikeja earlier in the week. While acknowledging that peaceful protest and freedom of expression are pillars of democracy, he explained that the demonstration degenerated into violence and posed serious risks to public safety.
Jimoh noted that the police intervened only after highways were blocked for hours, traffic ground to a halt, and reports emerged of medical emergencies, stranded commuters and people fainting in gridlock. He stressed that no firearms were discharged during the operation and that minimal force was applied to restore order.
He raised particular concern over the involvement of schoolchildren in the protest, saying some were removed from classrooms and pressured to join a long march while still in their uniforms an act he described as dangerous and contrary to child-protection standards. He also expressed alarm at the display of a coffin at the protest ground, which he said symbolised violence rather than peaceful dissent.
Addressing rumours circulating online, the CP firmly dismissed claims that children were killed during the protest, stating that no families or parents of alleged victims ever came forward.
On Owode Onirin specifically, Jimoh clarified that the demolished structures in the area were not pulled down by the Lagos State Government but by the arrested land grabber, who illegally engaged police officers in violation of the Inspector-General of Police’s directive. He confirmed that the officers involved have been transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department and are undergoing disciplinary procedures alongside the suspect.
Since the August tragedy, he said, police engagement with the market has been constant, with round-the-clock security deployed to ensure traders can operate safely. He disclosed that police presence in the market has now been doubled.
Reaffirming the command’s commitment to human rights and lawful conduct, CP Jimoh assured traders that peaceful protests would always enjoy police protection, while cautioning against individuals with ulterior motives who seek to exploit genuine grievances for chaos.
As the meeting drew to a close, traders once again broke into songs, escorting the commissioner through the market in a moment that underscored a rare but powerful message: trust rebuilt, partnership strengthened, and a community determined to move forward together.