Supporters of #EndSARS have rejected the group’s decision. Many consider the reopening of the toll gate to be short-lived and disregarded for the victims of Lekki’s shootings.
A CNN team at the scene witnessed a group being taken to a police truck amid a strong police presence.
“We have a right to tell our fellow citizens that they are not doing what is right that what they are doing is wrong. We must not lose the courage to speak in the face of oppression and brutality,” Damilare Adenola said from the barred window of a police truck.
Adenola said he had come to the protests on Saturday to show support for the organizers and observe the demonstrations, but was arrested when he refused to identify himself.
“I told them that I will not lose my right to protest even if they are imprisoned; I will still speak because it is my fundamental human right,” he added. “This was where our oppressors trampled on our compatriots, young comrades.”
He continued: “We felt that this place should become a museum, a museum of resistance and not a company that makes money. People died here, there are a lot of people in hospitals, and their lives have been broken”.
Two other people who had been arrested appeared at another window of the police truck and told CNN they did not know why they had been arrested.
“They picked me up for no reason. No interviews, no one spoke to me. They just stopped me while I was walking down the street,” said Emmanuel Oboji, a construction worker. “I don’t know what happened. I was picked up because I was walking around my country.”
Only a few protesters had arrived at the scene at the scheduled start time of the protest. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
The SARS unit was created in 1992 to combat armed robbery and was given extensive powers. Many of the officers did not wear uniforms or name tags and there were numerous complaints because they had activated citizens and perpetrated the same crimes they had created to fight.
Nigeria’s inspector general of police announced in October that SARS would be disbanded and its officers would be redistributed, but protests have continued.