#EndSARS Anniversary: Sanwo-Olu clarifies he ordered release of arrested protesters

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Thursday disclosed that he ordered the release of persons arrested during the one year anniversary of the #EndSARS Movement in Lagos on Wednesday.

The #EndSARS Movement on Wednesday held a memorial procession at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos to mark one year of the #lekkitollgateshooting and victims of police brutality in Nigeria. the anniversary also took place in several other states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Sanwo-Olu had said on Thursday: “Yesterday (Wednesday), we saw a protest in Lagos and everybody that was arrested in connection with the protest has been released, except an individual that was caught with dangerous weapons and who confessed to the police that he joined the protest to cause mayhem.”

The Lagos governor commended the police for identifying and isolating troublemakers from law-abiding people who conducted themselves in line with the laws.

The Governor also reaffirmed his commitment to reconciliation with the Nigerian youth. He enjoined the youths to be part of the rebuilding stakeholders in order to restore the operating capacity of institutions affected in the violence of 2020.

The governor noted that the destruction in 2020 slowed down operational activities of the affected public institutions. He, however, emphasized that the state government would not relinquish on its responsibility to rebuild the facilities and restore their operating capacity.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also promised that the Lagos State government will not cover up the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution, whether it favour government or not.

According to Sanwo-Olu: “The panel concluded its sittings about three days ago and has asked for time to put the reports together behind closed doors.

“We do not know the content of the report, but we want to say publicly that upon the handover of the report, we will be making it public.

“We will not cover up anything. This is not who we are and that is not what our government stands for.”