EndBadGovernance organisers demand release of protesters arrested in Lagos
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The #EndBadGovernance Movement in Lagos State has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and other relevant authorities to immediately release nine individuals arrested at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, by officers of the Nigerian Police Force.
In a statement released on Thursday, the movement, led by Hassan Taiwo, also known as “Soweto,” condemned the arrests, describing them as unjust and unwarranted.
“The #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State, condemns the arrest of nine individuals at Gani Fawehinmi Park by the Nigerian Police Force on October 2, 2024,” the statement read. “We demand their immediate and unconditional release.”
According to the group, the arrested individuals were detained for allegedly gathering at the park on October 2, believing that the protest from October 1st would continue the next day.
The arrested individuals include Funmi Robert (60), Sunday Obasoro (24), Sikiru Adeagbo (41), Babatunde Oyeleye (32), Akin Okunowo (50), Dare Toyin (21), Adebayo Shobogun (37), Michael Adeleke (23), and Stanley Akonye (42). Additionally, a Toyota pickup with the registration number SRA 813 XB was impounded.
In a statement published on October 3, 2024, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, justified the arrests by referencing a meeting held with representatives of the #EndBadGovernance movement on September 27, 2024. He noted that the organizers had committed to holding a peaceful protest on October 1st only.
However, the movement criticized the police’s actions, stating, “It is disingenuous to arrest innocent citizens and charge them for conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace simply because they gathered at a public park. Gani Fawehinmi Park is open to all Nigerians, and its mere use cannot be a reason for suspicion.”
The group emphasized that Nigerians have the right to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, and these rights must be respected at all times. “These rights are inviolable and cannot be subjected to the convenience of the police or any autocratic government.”
The #EndBadGovernance movement has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the nine arrested individuals, urging the authorities to respect citizens’ constitutional rights.