#EndSARS Memorial: Reason we fired tear gas at protesters – Police

What happened: Pulse reports that protesters, who gathered at the Lekki Toll Plaza on Thursday, October 20, 222, scampered for safety as men of the Nigerian police Force shot tear gas into the crowd.

The procession was organized to commemorate the second anniversary of the October 20, 2020, shooting incident and honour the memories of lives lost when armed security forces opened fire at #EndSARS protesters who converged at the toll-gate on that night.

Police justify action: Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, has come out with an explanation on why the protesters were tear-gassed.

Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, Hundeyin said the procession had stopped and, consequently, traffic was building up at the toll-gate, which prompted the police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd in order to pave way for free flow of traffic.

The Lagos Police spokesman explained that some aggressive elements had wanted to breach the peace so the police had to intervene.

Hundeying also disclosed that the protesters that were arrested and locked up in black maria truck had all been released.

Hundeyin ‘s word: “Everything was going fine until they stopped and started laying the coffins on the ground and all. They were doing all these and traffic at the toll gate was building.

“We needed to ensure that there was free flow of traffic in the area, because the agreement was that the procession would not stop, that was why we fired tear gas. After the crowd was dispersed, no single canister of tear gas was fired again.

“Right now there is free flow of traffic in the area and calm has been restored.

“Some troublemakers wanted to breach the peace in the area so they were picked up and locked up in the van. But after everything had calmed down and the protesters dispersed they were all released. I can confirm that we have no one in our custody at the toll-gate now.”