20th October, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Some youths on Tuesday continued their #EndSARS protest at Alausa, Lagos State despite the curfew imposed on the state.
Apart from the curfew imposed by the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Police Command also banned protests in the state.
The IGP also ordered the immediate nationwide deployment of anti-riot forces following increased attacks on police facilities.
Governor Sanwo-Olu alleged that criminals had hijacked the protest movement “to unleash mayhem”.
“Nobody except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets” from 4pm local time,” he said.
“We will not watch and allow anarchy in our dear state,” the governor added, saying the protests had “degenerated into a monster”.
The Lagos state governor’s spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, said the curfew would not end on Wednesday. “A 24-hour curfew means all round the clock, day and night. It is indefinite. Nobody moves until we lift the curfew.”
A few hours after the curfew took effect, some youths continued to push for their demands peaceful.
Though policemen and soldiers were deployed in the venue of the protest, they did not disperse the protesters.
Some of the protesters guarded the vehicles of the policemen to prevent it from being attacked by hoodlums.
When the military personnel got to the venue of the protest, the youths formed a ‘guard of honour’ to welcome them and later rode on their vehicle as a form of solidarity.
Also, the protesters failed to vacate the Lekki toll gate.
Instead, they sat on the floor as a symbol that they were not ready to vacate the venue of the protest.