Police and soldiers allegedly take over Lekki toll gate ahead of fresh #EndSARS protest
There are multiple reports of police and soldiers allegedly taking over Lekki toll gate ahead of a fresh #EndSARS protest on Monday December 7.
It is alleged that the security operatives were deployed around midnight after military and police authorities warned that they will not allow another round of protests to take place.
Lagos state police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi had in a statement released on Sunday December 6, stated that some unpatriotic individuals and groups were planning to embark on the replica of the recent destructive and violent EndSARS protest on Monday. He described it as “illegal” and further averred that they will be stopping the protest.
Adejobi said in a statement;
“The Command has reliably gathered intelligence that certain individuals/groups have concluded plans to lure unsuspecting Lagosians, especially youths, into their planned protest which is proposed to commence tomorrow Monday 7th December 2020 at designated locations in the state.
“The Lagos State Police Command wishes to re-echo and remind the general public that the Government of Lagos State, businesses, individuals and security families still groan in losses and pains that the last violent EndSARS protest occasioned. Lagos State is still nurturing the wounds orchestrated by some violent EndSARS protesters and not fit to accommodate such protest for now.
“In the light of the above, the Lagos State Police Command, therefore, warns those who might want to disguise under EndSARS protest to cause another set of mayhem, brouhaha, and violence in the state, to desist from such plans as the police and other security agencies will not fold their arms seeing individuals or groups orchestrating another violence and anarchy in the state.”
Opening fire on peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of people’s rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Soldiers clearly had one intention – to kill without consequences. Amnesty International received reports that shortly before the shootings, CCTV cameras at the Lekki toll gate, where #EndSARS protesters had been camped for two weeks, were removed by government officials and the electricity was cut – a clear attempt to hide evidence. As in previous cases documented by Amnesty International, some of those killed and injured at both grounds were allegedly taken away by the military.