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EndSARS Anniversary: Youths protest in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Benin, Osogbo, others
Youths across the country braved the warnings issued by the various state commands of the Nigeria Police against street protests on Wednesday, as they trooped out in large numbers, staged rallies, protests, processions and converged on various locations across the country in commemoration of the first year anniversary of the October 20, 2020 incident at the Lekki tollgate, Lagos.
Undeterred by the large presence of security agents the Lekki tollgate, protesters began to trickle in from about 8.00 a.m., with the police initially arresting the first few arrivals.
However, the organisers of the #EndSARS memorial, including popular Nigerian rapper, Folarin Falana (Falz) and comedian, Mr Macaroni, made good their words on staging an #EndSARS memorial car procession when, at about 8.30 a.m, about 150 vehicles and motorcycles blaring horn unabatedly swooped on Lekki tollgate.
For hours, the convoy ran circles around the tollgate with drivers and occupants of the vehicles holding Nigerian flags while chanting #EndSARS, #EndSWAT, #EndPolicebrutality among various other messages to the Nigerian authorities.
Among their messages were calls on the Nigerian government to release those arrested in the wake of last year’s #EndSARS protests, an end to police brutality which they noted had persisted, an end to bad governance with lamentation about the high cost of living and call for equity and justice in the Nigerian system.
From several rounds of motorcade procession around the tollgate, the protest moved to vehicles staying at a point with protesters coming out to voice the messages on the occasion of the first year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
Obviously overwhelmed by the large turnout, security operatives battled to prevent the protesters from forming a crowd at the tollgate.
With the protesters staying resolute and the atmosphere becoming tense, security operatives resorted to shooting teargas canisters, as people ran in different directions.
Throughout the day, there was huge presence of armed police officers stationed especially at areas that served as protest grounds for last year’s #EndSARS protests.
As a result of the security presence, residents and shop owners went about their normal businesses without disruptions.
Police describe 10 arrested protesters as miscreants
However, no fewer than 10 people were arrested as the armed policemen described them as ‘miscreants,’ saying that apart from defaulting on the agreed modalities between the organisers and the police for the conduct of the exercise, some of them were arrested with weapons.
The police also said the arrested journalist, Bisola Alawode, could not provide any form of identification at the venue but was later released on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu.
Odumosu said, “We agreed that they should keep moving. Any vehicle that is abandoned, we will take them from here to protective custody.
“We arrested some people now with machetes. These are miscreants. Today is a working day. I called Tope who is one of the leaders, and he said by 10.00 a.m., they had left. I spoke with their leader who represented them at the panel, and he said they had left.
“Those cannot be protesters but hoodlums and that is why they were chased away so that peaceful citizens can go about with their lawful businesses.”
Youths rally in Ibadan, Akure, Abuja, Yola, Benin, Osogbo
The experience was same in other state capitals like Ibadan, Aba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Enugu, Yola, Benin, Jos, Osogbo, Asaba, Ilorin and Abuja, the FCT, among others.
In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, scores of protesters moved around major streets, especially Iwo Road and Agodi before converging on the Oyo State government secretariat. Detachments of armed anti-riot policemen were stationed at strategic areas, including Mokola Roundabout, Sango, University of Ibadan, Agbowo junction, Dugbe and Secretariat to prevent breakdown of law and order.
In Akure, the Ondo State capital, youths held a peaceful memorial possession. Marching through the streets of Akure, in the presence of security agents, they walked through Oba-Adesida road, through NEPA roundabout and to the police headquarters in Igbatoro, where they tabled their demands to the government through the Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami.
The protesters decried that the Nigerian government had failed to address all the issues which led to the EndSARS protest, a year after. Tope Temokun, who led the protesters, bemoaned that one year after, no one had been brought to justice for the torture, violence, and killings of peaceful protesters.
Similar processions rocked the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as protesters marched round the city.
The protest in Abuja started at the National Assembly but the protesters were denied access and chased away by the police and other security operatives.
Led by Omoyele Sowore, they, thereafter, moved round the town before converging on the Unity Fountain.
Earlier, one Adamu Kabiru had led a counter-protest to describe the Lekki tollgate incident as a hoax and “#ENDSARS as insurrection.
A social group, Take It Back Movement, led a peaceful commemorative rally in Yola, Adamawa State.
Leading the protest, Mr Tony Gompwel said Nigerian youths were resolute in their demand for justice and improved democracy.
In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, youths marched round the Ita-Olokan area, and condemned those in government of maladministration.
The protest recorded an incident where a journalist attached to Daily Post, an online publication, Sikiru Obarayese, was beaten up by police personnel for recording the activities.
He was later arraigned at an Osogbo magistrates’ court sitting. While arraigning him before the court, he was alleged to have breached the peace by taking a video recording of a divisional police officer and assaulting him, contrary to sections 249(5) and 356 of the Criminal Code Cap 34. Laws of Osun State.
Obarayese, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and the police prosecutor, Adeoye Kayode, prayed the magistrate to withdraw the case, citing order from the commissioner of police.
The presiding magistrate, A. O. Daramola, granted the request and struck out the case.
Speaking on the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, said: “The officers who arrested him didn’t know he is a journalist. It was later that they knew. The commissioner of police has intervened and he has been released.”
Also, Edo youths, in their hundreds, gathered at the popular Oba Ovonramwen Square, popularly called Ring Road, Benin City, where they demanded for automatic employment for the victims of the protest in the state and the implementation of the report of the judicial panel that was set up by the state government.
In addition, they also requested that all those being held in various police detention cells, having been arrested in relation to the 2020 protest, be released unconditionally.
Unlike the chaos that characterised the 2020 protest, the Wednesday commemorative gathering was peaceful, though security personnel drawn from the Nigerian Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and members of local vigilante were on ground to ensure peace while members of the Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) controlled traffic while the protest lasted.
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