6 in trouble for destroying campaign posters in Lagos
By Moses Omorogieva
The police in Lagos State said they had arrested six persons allegedly involved in the destruction of campaign posters of an undisclosed political party and replacing them with another.
The Spokesman of the Police Command in the state, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the arrest in a statement, stressing that the suspects were arrested on Sunday at about 2.30 a.m. by the Anti Crime Patrol Team of Ikeja Police Division.
According to Oti, the suspects who belong to ‘TAKE IT BACK Movement’ were found tearing posters of other political parties and replacing them with that of African Action Congress (AAC).
He said that their action was contrary to Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) laws that forbade advertisers from pasting posters at no other hour than during the day time.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that last Wednesday, an agreement was reached by political parties in Lagos not to deface campaign posters of other political parties nor destroy their billboards.
The agreement was reached at a meeting held by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Imohimin Edgal, at the Police Officers Mess, GRA, Ikeja, where political stakeholders, including INEC and parties flag bearers were present.
Oti said that exhibits recovered from the suspects include a poster bearing the picture of the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, (AAC) Mr Sowore, brush, buckets containing gums and turn off posters of other political parties.
“The CP has directed that the suspects be charged to court on Monday for malicious damage and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
