The police attached to the Lagos State Police Command on Sunday fired teargas to disperse protesters rallying to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protest. The action carried out by the police was seen in the video circulated online showing the police showing a show of force to disperse the protesters.
It was learnt that the protesters arrived at the toll gate in Lekki at about 8:30 a.m. carrying several banners and placards. The protesters called for the full implementation of the reports submitted by various judicial panels of inquiry set up after the 2020 protests.
Recall that in October 2020, youths in cities in Nigeria took to the streets of the country to raise their voice against the constant harassment, killings, and extortion by officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigerian police.
The climax of the protest was held at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where several youths were killed and many others severely injured after the military fired live ammunition at the protesters.
After the incident, which claimed several lives, 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.
Speaking after the police show of force on Sunday, one of the protesters, who identified himself as Excel, noted that while running from the police, he fell into the gutter trying to escape from the police.
Speaking on Sunday, one of the protesters, identified simply as Excel, said he fell into the gutter while running from the teargas fired by the officers. He noted that he was hit on the head by the action of the police, which caused him harm.
Another protester, Bayo Are, who confirmed the attack by the police, noted that he was hit but not injured. He confirmed that he had a few scratches on his body; according to him, some persons were arrested by the police and taken away.
While responding to the intervention of the police, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that there was no confrontation. Still, the police had to disperse the protesters to prevent traffic disruption at the Lekki Toll Gate.
The PPRO noted that they were told to disperse, but they were adamant, which led the officers to use minimal force to disperse the protesters.
