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The arrested protesters marking the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20, 2024 [Credit: #DamilojuJLT]
The Lagos State Police Command has released the protesters arrested during the commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
The protesters who were over 18 in number, were nabbed at the Lekki Toll Gate and moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, in the Yaba area of Lagos.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, was also available at the SCID to see to their release.
In a tweet on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, tweeted via his X handle that the protesters had been released, saying, “All protesters in our custody have been released. CP Olanrewaju Ishola was on the ground at the SCID to personally see to that.”
The #EndSARS protests which date back to October 1 and 20, 2020, were in response to police brutality suffered by citizens during which several lives were reportedly lost during the nationwide protests.
While commemorating the day on Sunday, some youths who gathered at the toll gate were tear-gassed and rounded up by the police.
When contacted by one of our correspondents, the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, and the Initiator of the Creative Change Centre, Omole Ibukun, revealed that the National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto, was among those arrested.
“Soweto and 17 other members of the #EndBadGovernance Movement Lagos were arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate this morning by the police. They were there to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS killings. Where they have been taken to is not yet known. We demand their immediate and unconditional release. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right. Thank you,” the message read.
Other names listed by Sanyaolu include Remilekun Orunsolu, Olamide Thomas, Michael Adedeji, Adeseye Eshe, and Olamilekan Sanusi.
Also, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, tweeted via his X handle Sunday that the protesters were arrested and beaten before being put into a Black Maria van.
The tweet read, “The #PoliceNG has arrested over 18 peaceful protesters at #LekkiMassacreRemembrance at #LekkiTollGate. They subjected them to serious beating and torture while being temporarily detained in their Black Maria at the toll gate. Subsequently, they’ve moved them to the notorious SCIID station at Panti in the Yaba area of Lagos.”
Also, an X user identified as Frednardo da Vinci, tweeting as #obinnafrednardo, posted on Sunday with a video showing some persons chanting solidarity songs in a moving vehicle: “We have just been arrested at the Lekki toll gate where we marched out to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the victims of #EndSARS.”
Also, the Take It Back Movement coordinator affirmed the release of the protesters.
“All of the protesters have just been released. Thank you very much,” Sanyaolu stated.
