Police release detained Lagos October 1 protesters on bail

A group of protesters arrested on Wednesday at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in the Ojota area of Lagos State have been released on bail.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, gave the directive during the visit of social activist, Omoyele Sowore, to his office at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

The statement read, “In the spirit of camaraderie and bolstering trust between the Police and civil society organizations, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ishola, has directed that the persons arrested at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park on October 2, 2024, for causing a breach of public peace under the guise of protesting, be granted bail with immediate effect. The CP gave the directive today during the visit of Comrade Omoyele Sowore to his office at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.”

Hundeyin added that arrested persons were immediately handed over to Sowore.

Protesters, on Tuesday, gathered at the park as the country marked the 64th Independence Day.

The protest was monitored by security personnel, including policemen, officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Certain individuals who reconvened at the protest site on Wednesday were, however, rounded up by the police.

Reacting to the arrest in a statement, the police command alleged that they were not protesters but individuals masquerading as such, with intentions to cause trouble.

The arrested individuals were identified as Funmi Robert, Sunday Obasoro, Sikiru Adeagbo, Babatunde Oyeleye, Akin Okunowo, Dare Toyin, Adebayo Shobogun, Michael Adeleke and Stanley Akonye.