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Activists begin #EndSARS memorial protest with car procession

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A car procession is currently going on at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos in memory of the #EndSARS protests of last year, Punch has reported. 

This is despite a ban on protests in Lagos and the heavy presence of armed police personnel at the tollgate.

The activists who turned up at the tollgate with their cars were seen waving Nigerian flags from inside the vehicles and honking the horns while singing solidarity songs during the car procession.

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Speaking to newsmen, they stated that they will continue going to and fro the tollgate as their own way of protesting.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that operatives of the Lagos State Police Command arrested two protesters at the Lekki tollgate where the #EndSARS Memorial Protest is scheduled to hold in the state today.

One of those arrested claimed to be a journalist while the other was seen carrying a placard in the car procession.

The police had reportedly warned that anyone seen at the tollgate without an ID card will be arrested.

Read also: Sowore, Adeyanju begin #EndSARSMemorial protest in Abuja

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The #EndSARS protests which were held in October 2020 were against the activities of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria Police Force which was accused of police brutality.

The epicentre of the protests was the Lekki tollgate in Lagos where many youths gathered day and night to air their grievances against police brutality and bad governance.

They were dispersed from the location by gun-wielding soldiers on October 20, 2020, an action which some quarters believe led to the loss of lives.

This was followed by the destruction of private and public properties by hoodlums in Lagos, an incident that informed the latest warning issued by the police in the state.
The Lagos State Police Command had said no form of street protest in commemoration of the #EndSARS anniversary would be tolerated in any part of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Tuesday, dispelled the rumour circulating on social media that the police had agreed to allow street demonstrations to commemorate the #EndSARS protest anniversary scheduled to hold today (Wednesday).

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