By Ayo Kehinde
Protesters marking the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests who were dispersed with tear gas by policemen and then arrested have been released.
The protester who had gathered as early as 8:30 a.m on Sunday, at the Lekki Toll Gate, displaying banners and placards while demanding justice for the victims of police brutality and the implementation of reforms promised by the government, were later arrested and detained at Panti Police Station. But a team of three lawyers led by human right activist, Inibehe Offiong secured the release of all 22 protesters by late Sunday.
The 22 protesters are Hassan Taiwo Soweto; Ilesanmi kehinde; Uadiale Kingsley; Osopale Adeseye T; Olamilekan Sanusi; Osugba Blessing; Kayode Anaheim; Michael Adedeji; Jennifer Rita Obiora; Orunsolu Oluremi; Prof Seyi Akinde; Akin Okunowo Aluta; Ugochukwu Prince; Aishat Omolara; Thomas Abiodun Olamide; Ogbu Obinna Ferdinald; Aghedo Kehinde Stephen; Duroorike Olawale; Isaac Obasi; Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi; Gideon Adeyeni; Afeez Suleiman.
Confirming their release to THISAGE on Sunday night, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National spokesperson of the Youths Rights Campaign, RYC, said Inibehe Offiong led a team of three lawyers to secure their release from Panti Police Station, Yaba, Lagos.
The 22 are leaders and spokespersons of the Socialist Workers League (SWL), Take It Back (TIB), Enough is Enough (EiE) the Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and some other groups across the country, which have jointly commemorated the #EndSARS protests every year since 2021, as the EndSARS United.
In separate notes made available to THISAGE, Kunle ‘Wizeman’ Ajayi, National Chairperson and National Secretary, Amara Nwosu, of Socialist Workers League as well as Francis Nwapa, National Secretary of YRC, the protesters said that apart from the series of week-long annual #EndSARSMemorial activities, the groups have also worked assiduously and with significant success in securing the release of scores of #EndSARS detainees over the last three years.
Ajayi and Nwosu said, “We have faced attacks from police and state-paid thugs practically every year. But, the repressive measures by the Nigerian state is particularly despicable. This is the first #EndSARS anniversary during the regime of President Bola Tinubu. It is yet another confirmation of his draconian, anti-poor people policies and politics. While they released those arrested today, it shows that we need to increase our efforts to resist Tinubu’s rule under the APC, intensify the struggle for the release of those still in custody, and fight against capitalist policies that are causing hunger in the country.
“Thus, we demand immediate release of hundreds of people still being held in different parts of the country for participating in the protests against bad governance on 1-10 August, release of all #EndSARS detainees still languishing in jail, many of them with spurious charges and an end to all anti-poor people neoliberal policies that are making life so hard for the working masses.
On his own part, Francis Nwapa said the protesters had embark on a peaceful protest to demand the release of all #ENDSARS protesters still in detention after four years as well as the immediate release of the report of the Judicial Panel, which, among other things, called for adequate compensation of the victims of #ENDSARS.
“We also demand the immediate release of all those still in detention in connection with #EndBadGovernance protests across the country and dropping of trumped-up charges against Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Command in Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin, however, said the protesters were causing traffic disruptions at the toll gate.
“They were told to disperse, but they were adamant; we had to use minimal force to disperse them”, he said while refuting reports of confrontation between the police and protesters.
The #EndSARS movement erupted across Nigeria in October 2020 as thousands of youths took to the streets in major cities to protest against the rampant abuses, killings, and extortion committed by officers of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit within the Nigerian Police Force.
The protests culminated in a tragic confrontation at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on October 20, when security forces, including the Nigerian military, reportedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.
