The former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, and the Nigeria Police Force have disagreed on the fate of youths detained during the October 2020 ENDSARS protest in the country.
Sani, who spoke at the 2024 Democracy Day Dinner held on June 12 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, insisted several protesters have not regained freedom four years after the mass rallies against the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
He urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure the release of the detained young people.
The former lawmaker stressed that young Nigerians who were arrested during the protest of 2020 were still in detention.
But the police in a statement issued on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyuwa Adejobi, swiftly denied the allegations.
He insisted that those arrested during the protest have been released.
Adejobi said: “The Nigeria Police affirms that no individual is being unlawfully detained by the Nigeria Police Force or any other security agency in Nigeria due to the EndSARS protest,” the police spokesman said.
“All arrested individuals have been processed according to the law, and none remain unlawfully detained. In Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pardoned approximately 100 suspects arrested by the Police during the protest.
“For emphasis, no one anywhere in Nigeria is under Police detention or being wrongly persecuted for participating in the EndSARS protest. The issues surrounding the protest have been debated, researched, and documented, and lessons have been learnt. We have forgiven ourselves and moved on.
“We encourage verifying information before making public statements to avoid harm and incitement.
“The Nigeria Police Force categorically denies the recent allegations made by Senator Shehu Sani at the 2024 Democracy Day Dinner on June 12, 2024, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where the former Senator falsely claimed that some young people have been detained since the 2020 EndSARS protest.”
But in a post on X on Monday afternoon, Sani insisted that some arrested protesters are still being detained by the police.
He wrote: “The Police debunked my statement that some ENDSARS protesters are still held in custody. I hope they have read the list of the names published.”
The Police debunked my statement that some Endsars protesters are still held in custody.I hope they have read the list of the names published.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) June 17, 2024
To corroborate Sani’s assertion, some X users under the post bashed the police for denying the obvious, with some even posting a list of those still in detention.
One of the users, @HilaryEkpe, posted the list of detainees and dared the police to deny it.
pic.twitter.com/YMcyuE9jWi
— Ekpe Hilary Uchiche (@HilaryEkpe) June 17, 2024
Others also agreed with Sani in a flurry of posts.
@OjuowoD wrote: “Like seriously, I was watching Arise News this morning and I was shaking my head when the AAC Chairman Lagos State mentioned list of EndSars Protesters in Kirikiri and others police custody, that was when I said police even debunked they’ve no one like that in their custody.”
Like seriously, I was watching Arise News this morning and I was shaking my head when the AAC Chairman Lagos State mentioned list of EndSars Protesters in Kirikiri and others police custody, that was when I said police even debunked they've no one like that in their custody
— Owokoniran (@OjuowoD) June 17, 2024
@Imoladayo: “The fact about this is that they might have changed their case from protesters to armed robberies or more so the police should go back to their records and start normal investigations. At least it’s our mother sovereign land.”
The fact about this is that they might have change their case from protesters to arm robberies or more so the police should go back to their records and start normal investigations. At least it's our own mother sovereign land.
— Ayoola Oladayo (@Imoladayo) June 17, 2024
@AdamsKesiena: “Anything denied by the Nigerian government and its agencies is true, most especially the Nigerian police and the military.”
Anything denied by Nigeria government and its agencies is true , most especially the Nigerian police and the military
— kesiena O A (@AdamsKesiena) June 17, 2024
@DavaGrouoCEO: “I’m waiting for them not to respond to the list and that list isn’t even complete they’re more people who they sent to prison that are not in their cells.”
I’m waiting for them not to respond to the list and that list isn’t even complete they’re more people who they sent to prison that are not in their cells
— Dava (@DavaGroupCEO) June 17, 2024
@Bukatee: “Our public institutions are always quick to debunk without thouroughly investigating whatever it is they are denying. Must we always deny white to be black for us to scale through in this country?”
Our public institution are always quick to debunk without thouroughly investigating whatever it is they are denying. Must we always deny white to be black for us to scale through in this country?
— ONYELE EBUKA POLYCARP (@BUKATEE4617191) June 17, 2024
@DePeoplesPride: “Are you supposed to be surprised? The endsars to police never happened as there was no victim in 10/20/20???”
Are you supposed to be surprised? The endsars to police never happened as there was no victim in 10/20/20???
— Good Governance is sure (@DePeoplespride) June 17, 2024
@FreedomFighter: “Let’s confirm whether are there still people from EndSARs in detention.”
Let’s confirm are there still people from EndSARs in detention pic.twitter.com/OvubQpg4vO
— Freedom Fighter Official (@Freedom_fighte_) June 17, 2024
@NotUrKev: “We should always remember!
“Whatever they debunked or denied is the truth.”
We should always remember!"Whatever they debunked or denied is the truth"
— 𝐊𝐞𝐯 .𝐎° (@NotUrKev) June 17, 2024
@Opeyemtech: “One of the leaders of EndSars United came to Arise TV last night with the list of people still in detention.”
One of the leaders of EndSars United came to Arise TV last night with the list of people still in detention https://t.co/5YLuk9GJVi
— Yemtech (@Opeyemtech) June 17, 2024
The post Shehu Sani insists some ENDSARS protesters still in police detention appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Naomisophyblog.
