Demonstrators commemorating the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings at the Lekki Toll Gate have alleged that police officers brutally confronted them during their memorial procession on Sunday.
A small group of protesters gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate—now a symbol of anti-government rallies in Lagos State—to honor the memories of those who lost their lives during the October 2020 protests.
However, they faced significant resistance from law enforcement.
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“We are protesters who wanted to mark the anniversary of #EndSARS but were apprehended by a group of policemen under the leadership of the commissioner of police,” one of the protesters said in a video posted on X by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.
“I am right here speaking to you from a Black Maria brutalised and beaten by the police, my glasses were taken away from my eyes by a police officer without any provocation.
“We are asking today when it has become illegal to protest in this country.”
The Lagos State Police Command stated that the protesters did not obtain the necessary clearance or permission before holding the rally.
“Constitutionally, they should write to me as the Commissioner of Police of their intention to do so, they did write to us and as such, any of such gathering is illegal and by extension, police will not allow it to happen,” the State Police Commissioner, Olanrewaju Ishola, told Channels Television.
The Commissioner of Police clarified that while the authorities respect citizens’ constitutional rights, it is crucial that individuals prioritize the laws of the land when exercising those rights.
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