The Lagos State Police Command has declared that the planned #EndSARS memorial protest to mark the fourth anniversary of the movement will not take place.
Protesters had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate on Sunday, October 20, 2024, to remember those who lost their lives during the 2020 protests against police brutality.
Speaking to Channels Television, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, said the protest was illegal because the organizers did not get police clearance. “Constitutionally, they should write to me as the Commissioner of Police of their intention to do so. They did not write to us, and as such, any gathering like this is illegal,” he explained.
The police commissioner emphasized that while the rights of citizens to protest are recognized, it must be done within the law. “We are not against anyone exercising their fundamental rights, but the law of the land must be followed,” he added.
Ishola also mentioned that police operatives had been deployed to strategic locations across Lagos to prevent any disruptions. “We’ve been here since midnight and have taken control of the usual protest spots. We want to ensure that the activities of the government are not disturbed,” he said.
