Policemen on Thursday fired teargas canisters and water cannon at participants of the second memorial of #EndSARS in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, told Channels Television that some of the participants were “unruly” and climbed the top of the toll gate.
“That was not needed. You are doing a procession, just walk past. But these people now stopped there and climbed on the toll gate, becoming a nuisance, threatening to break down the existing law and order.
“We can’t stand there and watch them misbehave. The least we could do was to use teargas, any other thing apart from teargas will be more harmful.
“There is no record of injury. We only did our job and faced those who were unruly,” he said.
Some of the participants at the procession include popular comedian Debo Adebayo, also known as Mr Macaroni; and musician Folarin Falana, better known as Falz.
According to the organisers, the procession was to commemorate the second anniversary of the #EndSARS demonstration against police brutality and extrajudicial killings that rocked Lagos and parts of Nigeria in October 2020.
Scores of fully armed police officers were seen with about 25 patrol vans at the toll gate on Thursday.
Senate Calls For Police Reforms
Following the #EndSARS demonstrations in October 2020, the Senate advised the Federal Government to evolve and implement holistic reforms in the Nigeria Police Force.
It believed employing more able-bodied personnel, injecting more financial resources for the purpose of procuring arms, ammunition, and other policing gadgets, as well undertaking regular training will ensure efficient policing in the country.
This formed part of the recommendations contained in the 69-page report of the Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence; Defence; Police Affairs; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the #EndSARS demonstrations.
Accordingly, the Senate in its recommendations underscored the need for regular and purposeful training of personnel of the security agencies in line with international best practices.
It called on the Federal Government to give priority in terms of security to Cross River, considering the peculiarity of the state with a very large landmass.
