The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has claimed that human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, does not possess a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, alleging that he evaded the mandatory national service.
Jimoh made the claim on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, while responding to Sowore’s criticism of his competence and the police declaration of him as wanted.
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“During his interview, he said the commissioner of police is not competent. I’m very competent, I’ve been here for more than nine months…I want to make it abundantly clear that Sowore doesn’t have NYSC certificate because of punitive reason,” Jimoh said.
According to the police chief, Sowore was assigned to Adamawa State for his NYSC but allegedly refused to participate.
“He was posted to Adamawa and he was evasive, he never did the service,” he said.
Jimoh argued that the activist was unqualified to criticise law enforcement or mobilise public protests.
“Such kind of person that’s not even qualified to bear the NYSC certificate of our great country Nigeria will now be calling out miscreants to come and disturb the peace of Lagos, we will not allow it. So, my pronouncement that he’s declared wanted still stands,” he said.
The police had earlier declared Sowore wanted over allegations that he was planning to instigate public disorder in Lagos.
Sowore, however, dismissed the accusations, stating that the police chief had refused to take his calls despite several attempts to reach him.
He described the declaration as an attempt to silence him and divert attention from the controversy surrounding the demolition of properties in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos, where police had dispersed a planned community gathering.