Demonstrators gathered at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos on Sunday, October 20, 2024,to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
The memorial was organized to honor those who lost their lives during the protests against police brutality in October 2020.
Protesters arrived around 8:30 a.m. carrying banners and placards. They demanded the government fully implement the recommendations made by the judicial panels of inquiry that were set up after the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
However, the Lagos State Police Command dispersed the peaceful crowd and arrested several demonstrators. Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, reported that about 18 activists, including Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto, were arrested and some were allegedly brutalized by the police. Effiong condemned the police’s actions, stating, “They were entirely peaceful and did not disrupt public peace in any way. This is unconstitutional and unacceptable.”
Despite the peaceful nature of the memorial, Lagos State Police Commissioner Olanrewaju Ishola described the gathering as illegal, saying the protesters did not seek police clearance. “Constitutionally, they should write to me as the Commissioner of Police of their intention to do so,” he said. “Any such gathering without permission is illegal, and we will not allow it.”
Commissioner Ishola added that the police had stationed officers at strategic locations across Lagos to prevent any disruption of public order. He reassured Lagosians that the police were committed to maintaining peace, saying, “We have Lagos undercover, security-wise, and nobody can disrupt the activities of the government here.”
The situation at the Lekki toll gate and other areas of Lagos remained under control, with no major disruptions reported.
