It is one year after the #EndSARS protests that rocked Nigeria and ended with what became known as the Lekki Tollgate Massacre, as young Nigerians poured out into the streets to protest what they termed police brutality.
The protests turned bloody as men in military dress stormed the Lekki Tollgate on the night of October 20, 2020, and shot into the protesters, who had occupied the Tollgate Plaza.
The protests were targeted at a notorious unit of the Nigeria Police known then as Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which sadly turned into a gang of extortionists, rapists, and even killers.
As the protests spread across Nigeria last year, the government was forced to disband the unit and replaced it with another.
To celebrate the anniversary, protesters have defied orders by the Police banning protests and gathered at the Lekki Tollgate Plaza, which became the epicenter of the protests, and also in parts of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
In Lagos, the youths converged at the Lekki tollgate to mark the first anniversary, even as Police on Wednesday fired teargas to disperse them. This was after the police had arrested two protesters, one of whom was clad in a white cloth while the other claimed to be a journalist.
In Abuja, they first marched to the Ministry of Justice building, Maitama, where they met a brick wall mounted by policemen.
In Lagos, about 30 police trucks and armed personnel occupied the Lekki Tollgate to enforce an order by the State Police Command that banned protests to commemorate the shooting.
As preparations for the anniversary thickened, the Lagos State Police Command issued orders banning all forms of street protest in commemoration of the #EndSARS shooting in all parts of the state.
Chief Superintendent of Police Adekunle Ajisebutu, the State Police Public Relations Officer, had an in a statement on Tuesday, refuted a rumour on social media that the police had agreed to allow street demonstrations to commemorate the #EndSARS protests.
“The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a post being circulated on social media insinuating that the police in Lagos have agreed to allow street protests in commemoration of the one-year #EndSARS anniversary on October 20, 2021,” the police spokesman said.
“On the contrary, the police will only allow indoor and virtual events in commemoration of the #EndSARS anniversary and will provide adequate security at the venue(s) if known. This is in recognition of the rights of every Nigerian to express his or her interest.
“We wish we could permit such street protests. However, intelligence at our disposal has revealed plans by some faceless groups or individuals to stage an anti-#EndSARS anniversary protest in the state on the same day.
“In view of the conflicting interest between the pro and anti-#EndSARS anniversary groups and threat to cause mayhem, the command once again warns both groups against any form of street protest between now and October 20, 2021, and beyond.”
