Popular comedian, Debo Adebayo, also known as Mr. Macaroni, and 39 others have been granted bail by a Mobile Court before which they were arraigned for showing up for #occupyLekkitollgate protest.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Muyiwa Adejobi, Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed in a statement on Saturday evening.
He said, “The command has arrested forty (40) suspects at Lekki Toll Gate plaza, Lagos State, on Saturday 13th February, 2021, for conspiracy, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and violation of COVID-19 protocols.
“The suspects had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate plaza creating tension and behaving in such a manner that could cause a breach of public peace without due regard for COVID-19 protocols major of which are use of nose masks and social distancing.
The command has, however, arraigned the suspects today to the mobile court at Panti, Yaba accordingly but were however granted bail by the court. They will appear in court on the next date of adjournment, 2nd March 2021, with the certificate of the COVID-19 test.
“The command, therefore, assured the general public that it will always discharge its statutory duties as expected within the ambit of the law while appealing to Lagosians to be law-abiding and go about their lawful businesses.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project,SERAP, a civil society organization had earlier called for the unconditional release of the protesters failing which it would drag the Nigerian authorities to court.
SERAP said in a string of tweets: “We urge Nigerian authorities and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately and unconditionally release #EndSARS protesters detained simply for peacefully exercising their human rights. Authorities should also cease harassing people peacefully exercising their human rights.
“The United Nations and concerned governments should press the Nigerian authorities to end the crackdown on peaceful protesters, and unconditionally release those arbitrarily detained.
“We’ll pursue appropriate legal actions if the #EndSARS protesters arbitrarily arrested simply for peacefully exercising their human rights are not immediately and unconditionally released. Peaceful assembly is a fundamental right
