The Lagos State Police Command said 34 people were arrested and arraigned during the memorial procession held at the Lekki tollgate to mark the one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
In a statement on Thursday, the spokesman for the command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, explained that the arrested persons were arraigned before Magistrate Israel Adelakun of a Magistrate Court for the offence of conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
“Two cutlasses, one hammer, a jackknife, and assorted criminal charms were recovered from them,” he said.
Ajisebutu stated that the memorial procession held as scheduled and carried out by protesters who moved in a motorcade through the Lekki toll gate between 8am and 10am.
“The protest was peaceful without threat to security, except for the brief gridlock experienced by motorists during the period,” he added. “However, at about 1130hrs after the real protesters had left peacefully without any confrontation, hoodlums took advantage of the gridlock with criminal intention to start attacking innocent law-abiding citizens.
“One Shina Edun ‘m’, of Man O’ War Nigeria attached to the Lekki Concession Company was stabbed in the stomach by the hoodlums. The victim was immediately rushed to the hospital where he is currently receiving medical attention.”
The command’s spokesman stated that during their arraignment, two of the arrested persons pleaded guilty and were fined N10,000 each.
Others, according to him, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail with one surety and N20,000 in like sum, while one of them was discharged and acquitted.
Ajisebutu revealed that one Chukwu Chika, who was arrested with a cutlass and assorted charms, confessed during his trial that he deliberately came to cause violence.
The court ordered the police to carry out a thorough investigation into his case and charge him appropriately.
