The Nigeria Police Force has issued a strong rebuttal to recent allegations made by former Senator Shehu Sani regarding the detention of individuals since the 2020 EndSARS protests.
In a statement released by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police Public Relations Officer, the force “categorically denies the recent allegations” put forth by Sani during a Democracy Day event on June 12th.
Sani had claimed that some young Nigerians have been in custody since the 2020 protests against police brutality. However, the police statement firmly asserts 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 statement explains that all arrested individuals have been “processed according to the law, and none remain unlawfully detained.” It notes that in Lagos, approximately 100 suspects arrested during the protests were pardoned by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“For emphasis, no one anywhere in Nigeria is under Police detention or being wrongly persecuted for participating in the EndSARS protest,” the police statement read. It urged the public to “disregard this claim” and assured Nigerians of the force’s commitment to upholding justice, the rule of law, and human rights.
The police encouraged verifying information before making public statements, emphasizing that “lessons have been learnt” from the EndSARS protests and that the issues have been “debated, researched, and documented.” The force stated that they have “forgiven ourselves and moved on.”