#OccupyLekkiTollgate: Police Fill Black Maria With Protesters
Nigeria Police officers, supported by the Lekki Concession Company have arrested several protesters in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria at the scene of the #OccupyLekkiTollgate demonstration.
Officers of the Nigeria Police have continued to clampdown on protesters at Lekki tollgate in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, as a Black Maria belonging to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) filled with protesters left the tollgate plaza.
HumAngle sighted about 13 protesters who were arrested in the van. The vehicle was driven off to an unknown location.
The #Occupylekkitollgate protest and a counter-protest, #DefendLagos were scheduled to hold at the Lekki tollgate at 7 am on Saturday.
While the promoters of #DefendLagos announced their withdrawal from the protest after warning by the Nigerian government and the police, those calling for #OccupyLekkitollgate protest defied the warning.
The protest and counter-protests followed the ruling by the Lagos state Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki tollgate despite investigation into the shooting of Oct. 20, 2020, is yet to be concluded.
The Nigerian government has deployed armed policemen to Lekki tollgate since Friday in anticipation of the Saturday protest.
At about 7:47 am Saturday, police officers were mobilised in three vehicles towards Lekki Phase 1.
Shortly after, few protesters approached the Lekki tollgate on foot with the policemen that earlier left the scene maltreating some of them and forcing them into a Black Maria belonging to the LCC.
The #Occupylekkitollgate protesters, who approached the Lekki toll area unarmed, were packed into the black maria and taken to an unknown location.
The black maria belonging to the LCC has arrived back at the scene empty.
The police have continued to make arrests with a black maria still positioned at the lekki tollgate with more protesters in it.
Despite Nigerians having the right to peaceful gathering and assembly as a fundamental human right in the constitution, the police have continued to disallow citizens’ protests.
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