On Sunday, October 20, 2024, protesters who were arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate while commemorating the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests have been released by the Lagos State Police Command.
The protesters, numbering 22, were arrested in the morning as they gathered to honor those killed during the 2020 #EndSARS protests against police brutality. They were beaten, brutalized, and thrown into a Black Maria before being taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Yaba, Lagos.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto, the National Spokesman for the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), confirmed their release. He stated that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, personally visited Panti Police Station to facilitate their release. However, Soweto criticized the CP’s actions, noting that the brutalization and arrest occurred in his presence.
Soweto detailed the mistreatment of the protesters, including injuries, sexual molestation of two protesters, and one male protester being stripped naked. Despite the violence, Soweto vowed to continue the fight for justice, emphasizing that such violations of rights cannot be tolerated.
Human rights organizations like Amnesty International and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) condemned the police for their actions against the peaceful protesters in Lagos, Osun, and other states.
