#OccupyLekkitoll gate: Right Centre demands immediate release of arrested protesters
The Center for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR), has condemned the arrest of protesters under the aegis of #OccupyLekki at Lekki Toll Gate by the policemen deployed to the protest ground to maintain law and order at Lekki Toll Gate.
In a statement issued and signed on Saturday by its National President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse and General Secretary, Comrade Ewajane Osowo, said the information before the centre is that the arrested and brutalized protesters have been taken to the Adeniji Adele police station and the state CID Panti. The centre calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the protesters.
The statement reads in part “the Protesters were protesting against the reopening of the Lekki toll gate plaza, venue of the 20th October 2020 shooting that led to the death and left some Endsars protesters injured. The situation prompted the Lagos State government to set up a judicial panel of enquiry to look into the complaint of aggrieved persons. The panel, till date is yet to round up its investigations.
“The basis of the Endsars protest then include the current state of insecurity situation in the country, the high level of corrupt practices, asking for free and qualitative education, demanding for accountability from those whom were saddle with the responsibility to handle the country’s economy. Where has any of these their demands become a crime that warrant this undemocratic, unconstitutional, and unlawful arrest?.
“It is a fact that there are still some petitions submitted to the panel by some people who claimed to have lost relatives in the 20th October 2020 shooting and their cases have not been heard. We believe this may form part of the reasons they demand that the lekki toll gate should still wait till the panel round up and submit the report/outcome of their findings.
“From the report reaching us now, over 10 innocent Lagosians have been arrested by the police at the toll gate and taken into custody and it was also reported that any passerby that pass through the toll gate without any I’d card the police will presume such person to be a protester and will be arrested.
“It is important to draw the attention of the police to the press release by the Honourable Attorney General of Lagos state yesterday where in one of the paragraphs, he emphasized that the Commissioner of Police should take note that the protesters has right to protest as its enshrine in section 39 and 40 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“Therefore we urge the leadership of Lagos State police command to call his men to order,to stop harassing innocent citizen while demanding for their rights legitimately without breaking law and order. Nigerians has right to peaceful protest, therefore, the idea of allowing themselves and their officers to be used by the state to attack innocent citizens is unacceptable”, the centre said.
