The Take It Back Movement has suggested holding a virtual meeting with the Lagos State Police Command due to challenges in organizing an in-person gathering.
According to The PUNCH, the proposal was communicated in a letter sent on Wednesday by the movement’s legal representatives, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, to Jaiyeoba Joseph, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Intelligence Department.
This comes after the police, in a letter dated Tuesday, invited key members of TIB, including National Coordinator Sanyaolu Juwon, to meet with the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, to discuss “issues of national interest.”
Sources within the TIB, who requested anonymity, expressed concerns that attending the physical meeting could result in arrests, leading to their preference for a virtual engagement. One member noted, “We are concerned about the timing and the possibility that this meeting might be a setup.”
However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the invitation, assured that the meeting was purely friendly, adding that there were no plans to arrest anyone.
“The intention is simply to discuss matters of national importance in a peaceful setting,” he said.
The planned October 1 protest, titled ‘FearlessInOctober,’ is also on the agenda for the meeting, with TIB expected to address the rising economic difficulties Nigerians face, particularly inflation and fuel scarcity.
In their letter, the movement’s legal team emphasized the practical difficulties of holding a physical meeting, as many of its executive members are currently outside Lagos.
“Due to short notice and the fact that several key members of the Take It Back Movement are currently out of Lagos, attending a physical meeting may be impractical,” the letter read.
TIB, therefore, proposed a virtual meeting, stating it would allow all members to participate effectively. “We respectfully propose a virtual meeting as this would enable all necessary participants to join remotely and contribute productively to the discussions,” the letter added.
The group also expressed willingness to reschedule a physical meeting for early October if necessary, allowing time for all members to be present.
