No fewer than 18 protesters commemorating the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests have reportedly been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police.

The nationwide protests, which took place between October 1 and 20, 2020, were in response to police brutality suffered by citizens.

However, on 20 October 2020, lives were reportedly lost at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State during the protest.

While commemorating the day on Sunday, some youths who gathered at the toll gate were tear-gassed and rounded up by the police.

Separate distress messages from the National Coordinator of the #Takeitbackmovement, Juwon Sanyaolu, and the Initiator of the Creative Change Centre, Omole Ibukun, revealed that the National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto, was among those arrested.

Other names listed by Sanyaolu include Remilekun Orunsolu, Olamide Thomas, Michael Adedeji, Adeseye Eshe, and Olamilekan Sanusi.

Meanwhile, according to a tweet by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, the protesters were arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate and were beaten before being put into a Black Maria van.

Sowore noted that the security operatives moved the arrested persons to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, in the Yaba area of Lagos.

The tweet, posted via his X handle, read: “The #PoliceNG has arrested over 18 peaceful protesters at #LekkiMassacreRemembrance at #LekkiTollGate. They subjected them to serious beating and torture while being temporarily detained in their Black Maria at the toll gate. Subsequently, they’ve moved them to the notorious SCIID station at Panti in the Yaba area of Lagos.”