An hour after they were detained, some journalists and suspected EndSARS protesters have been released by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu.
WuzupNigeria reported that Odumosu approached the huge police vans (Black Maria) parked at the Lekki toll gate after his arrival, had a brief discussion with the operatives and freed the detainees.
Among those freed from the Black Maria were #EndSARSMemorial protesters picked up in the early hours of Wednesday.
The police boss asked them to identify themselves, one after the other.
Those who identified themselves with evidence were let out, while those who couldn’t define their mission and have no means of identification remain locked up in the police van.
Addressing the demonstrators, Odumosu who was wearing a face shield said, “We will investigate those still locked up in the van. We are taking them to the police station. Once we ascertain that they are harmless, we will let them go.”
The police commissioner also apologised to journalists and other protesters who were brutalised, harassed and wrongfully arrested during the demonstration.
“That was done by Judases among us. By ignorant officers. This uniform I’m wearing, you paid for it,” the police boss lectured.
Earlier, a man who claimed to be an Uber driver, was bloodied, pepper-sprayed and dragged on the road, as police made to forcibly throw him into the van.
The drive-through protest is now over, moments after police dispersed young protesters with teargas canisters.
Today’s convoy memorial marked the one year anniversary of the viral police brutality protests of October 2020 when young Nigerians protesting decades of police brutality and extortion under the #EndSARS banner, were shot at by soldiers brought in to enforce a hurriedly declared curfew.
