Nigerian comedian and skitmaker, Adebowale Adedeyo, popularly known as Mr. Macaroni, joined a group of fellow Nigerians in a gathering at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos on Friday. They came together to commemorate the third anniversary of the tragic shootings that occurred during the #EndSARS protest on October 20, 2020. Notably, the event took place amid a significant presence of police officers.Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, along with other high-ranking police officials, were also on the scene. This gathering comes in the wake of a warning issued by the Lagos State Police Command, which expressed its intent to discourage any form of assembly at the Lekki Tollgate.
Recalling the #EndSARS protests, it was a public outcry against police brutality, extrajudicial killings, extortion, and the abuse of power, particularly by officers of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The protest initially began peacefully and eventually led to the federal government of Nigeria disbanding SARS.
Unfortunately, the protest took a violent turn as opportunistic individuals resorted to burning police stations, public facilities, and engaging in attacks on both law enforcement officers and civilians. The climax of the protest came on October 20 when Nigerian Army personnel opened fire on the protesters, resulting in fatalities and injuries among the predominantly youthful demonstrators.
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