Operatives of the Nigerian Police, Lagos command have arrested protesters marking the fourth anniversary of #EndSARS.
The protesters had gathered at the Lekki tollgate area on Sunday for a memorial rally to commemorate the nationwide #EndSARS protests of 2020
However, when the activists approached the tollgate, they were resisted by armed police officers, who warned against rallying at the location.
The armed police officers subsequently shot teargas canisters to disperse the protesters.
Some moments later, another group of activists arrived at the tollgate for their #EndSARS memorial walk.
The police officers, stationed at the tollgate, arrested about 20 of them, including Taiwo Soweto, one of the leaders of the #EndBadGovernance movement.
Immediately after the activists were arrested, they were locked inside a police van.
In a video recorded inside the van, Soweto asked when it became illegal to commemorate #EndSARS.
“We were simply here to mark the passing of our brothers and sisters who were brutally killed four years ago,” he said.
In October 2020, thousands of youths gathered in major cities across the country to protest against the constant harassment, killings, and extortion by officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigerian police.
The protest culminated at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where several youths were reportedly killed and many others severely injured following the intervention of the Nigerian military.
In the aftermath of the protests, judicial panels were established across various states to assess and review the protesters’ demands.
However, almost four years later, protest leaders have expressed deep regret that many of the panels’ recommendations remain unimplemented.
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