#EndSARSMemorial: Police arrest protester, journalist at Lekki tollgate

Officers of the Lagos state police command have arrested two persons at the Lekki tollgate — venue of the #EndSARSMemorial protest.

One of those arrested was a journalist identified as Abisola Alawode from Legit.ng while the other is Okechukwu Peter, a lone protester seen carrying a placard.

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

The journalist was said to have been arrested because he was unable to produce his ID card when the police officers requested it.

When the journalist produced another means of identification, it was said to have been seized from him before he was taken to the police van and driven away.

Another journalist from Arise TV was also said to have been harassed by security operatives for not hanging his ID card on his neck but he was not arrested as other journalists rallied around in his defence.

In October 2020, Nigerian youths took to the streets in some parts of the country to protest against the now-disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

To commemorate the first anniversary of the movement, youths planned a series of activities, including protests at some strategic places across the country.

Police commands of different states including Lagos and Osun, had however, issued statements warning youths against the protests and threatening to arrest anyone who defies the order.

In a bid to enforce the ban on protests issued by the police, security operatives, on Wednesday morning, were deployed at strategic points where protests were planned to be staged.