Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, has said he ordered his men to tear gas #EndSARSMemorial protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate on Wednesday.
Speaking with newsmen, Odumosu said the police fired tear gas at the protesters to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
The police commissioner noted that he ordered his men to tear gas the protesters because they went against the promise earlier made that the procession will start by 8 am and end by 10 am.
Odumosu added that any demonstration beyond the agreed time is constituting a nuisance and will not be tolerated.
The Commissioner said: “The protest was between 8 am and 10 am, anything, after 10 am, is a nuisance.
“I discussed with them and they said they will end the protest by 10 o’clock. Other people doing it now just causing a nuisance. some with machete, hammer, are they protesters or miscreants?
“The protesters are free; they have done their thing and left. Any other persons remaining are the miscreants, hoodlums that want to capitalise on that to attack innocent people and start robbing people. We will not allow that.”
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that the EndSARS protests in October 2020 were staged in opposition to the actions of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a section of the Nigeria Police Force accused of cruelty.
However, the peaceful demonstration was disturbed on Wednesday by police officers who sprayed tear gas at the youths.
The protesters scampered for safety as they chanted End SARS.
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