The musical instruments seized by the police during the January 28, 2026 anti-demolition protest in Lagos were the focus of Friday’s proceedings at the Magistrate Court in Yaba, where protest participants Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Dele Frank are facing prosecution.
The displaced residents of Makoko, Otumara, Owode Onirin, and other waterfront communities had protested against forced demolitions on January 28, 2026, marching to the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.
During the protest, police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators, causing panic and injuries. In the ensuing commotion, Soweto and Frank were arrested, while musical instruments belonging to a disc jockey, used to provide sound for the demonstration, were seized.
Femi Falana (SAN), lead counsel for the defendants, filed an application urging the court to order the release of the equipment on bond, arguing that it is the DJ’s source of livelihood. He cited relevant provisions of the Evidence Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (Lagos State) in support of the application.
Prosecuting counsel, Anthony Ihiehie, opposed the application, arguing that the items would be tendered as evidence in court.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Magistrate I. O. Alaka adjourned the matter, stating that a ruling would be delivered on May 8.
Outside the courtroom, activists addressed the media in solidarity with the defendants.
Francis Nwapa, national secretary of Youths Rights Concern (YRC), said those who ought to be in court were ironically the ones prosecuting Soweto and Frank.
Comrade Isa Oyetunji, representing the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), said the court process was designed to intimidate activists and weaken resistance against abuses of power.
Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), described the case as a sham trial and a waste of public resources.
A representative of the Justice and Empowerment Initiative highlighted the need for continued protest, citing a recently aborted illegal demolition at Low Cost Road in Oko-Oba, Agege. He said that but for the intervention of activists, the demolition squad would have destroyed the community.
In his remarks, Soweto criticised the ongoing legal proceedings against him and Frank, describing the case as a “sham trial” driven by what he called anti-poor policies of the Lagos State Government.
“This is a struggle of the poor against the rich,” he said, thanking affected communities for their continued support.
“It is not surprising that we are facing what I describe as a sham trial. This is the third time we’ve been in court since January 29,” he added, maintaining that the charges against him are “contrived” and represent “a brute perversion of justice.”
Soweto accused Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of his cabinet, and former Lagos police commissioner Moshood Jimoh of responsibility for the demolitions, which he said led to fatalities, including children.
He also thanked his legal team, led by Femi Falana (SAN) and Tomi Olagunju, who filed the application seeking the release of the seized items.
“The application is about livelihood,” Soweto said, noting that some individuals have been unable to work since their equipment was confiscated.
Other speakers, including Israel Idowu, who represented the Makoko community, gave solidarity comments.