#EndSARS Anniversary: Police Release Arrested Protesters  

The Lagos State Police Command, Sunday, released the over 18 protesters earlier arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate while commemorating the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.

According to reports, the protesters were at the Lekki Toll Gate and moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba area of Lagos metropolis.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesman, announced on X on Sunday that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olanrewaju Ishola, went to the SCID, Panti, to personally secure the protesters’ release.

“All protesters in our custody have been released. CP Olanrewaju Ishola was on the ground at the SCID to personally see to that,” Hundeyin tweeted.

Determined to end the reign of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, a police unit notorious for its brutality against citizens, several groups mobilized online and started a massive protest that held the nation by the jugular between October 1 and 20, 2020.

Although the protests were popular in the first week as the government  of President Muhammadu Buhari conceded and acted on the demands by the organisers, including the disbandment of the notorious SARS, hoodlums hijacked the demonstrations in Lagos, Abuja, Benin, among others, and unleashed mayhem.

On October 20, 2020, the police cracked the protests, tear-gassing the protesters, arresting many of them. There were reports of fatalities too as a result of the action by the police, and a detachment of the Army at the Lekki Toll Gate.

Among those arrested during the commemoration protest on Sunday the the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, the Initiator of the Creative Change Centre, Ibukun Omole, and the National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto. Others are: Remilekun Orunsolu, Olamide Thomas, Michael Adedeji, Adeseye Eshe, and Olamilekan Sanusi.

All the protests have been released, courtesy of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olanrewaju Ishola