#EndSARS: Why Governor Sanwo-Olu Announced a Total Lockdown in Lagos State

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub, has ordered a total shutdown of movement in the state over the ongoing #EndSARS protests which has been marred by violence.

It’s been 13 days that Nigerian youths have been on the streets protesting incessant police brutality that has gone on for years, but the demonstrations were hijacked by hoodlums in some states, including Lagos and Edo State, where a prison break took place on Monday, Oct. 19, and prisoners were set free by thugs.

After initially appealing to the youths to get off the streets while the government works on meeting their demands, Sanwo-Olu imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state, starting from 4pm on Tuesday, Oct. 20. He took the action after a police state was reportedly set ablaze at Orile area of Lagos.

https://twitter.com/Gabafolayan/status/1318494956064002048

Read Sanwo-Olu’s statement below:

“Dear Lagosians, I have watched with shock how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest has degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society. Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our State.
As a government that is alive to its responsibility and has shown a commitment to the movement #ENDSARS, we will not watch and allow anarchy in our dear state.

I, therefore, hereby impose a 24-hour curfew on all parts of the State as from 4pm today, 20th October,2020. Nobody, except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets.”

We’ll update this story as it develops.

UPDATE:

Multiple sources have confirmed that the burning of a Police station and the killing a policeman at Orile-Iganmu in Lagos were carried out by hoodlums and not the #EndSARS protesters.

According to independent sources and some Twitter users believed to be privy to the information, no EndSARS protest took place at the location at all – a bunch of miscreants allegedly unleashed the mayhem on their own accord.

Exactly! I’ve been asking -who organised the protest at Orile Iganmu? Silence. Nobody.
So the large mobs of angry people blocking random Lagos roads, robbing & killing people across the country are hijacking the eyes, ears, goodwill & ground #EndSARS protests have gained. https://t.co/RpNWctDQB4

— Oreka Godis (@Rhecks) October 20, 2020

Meanwhile, that was not the only violent incident that occurred in Lagos, a Custom officer reportedly opened fire on peaceful protesters in Apapa area of the state, killing at least one person.

A similar incident was reported in Mushin, a Lagos suburb, where a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) allegedly fired at a group of supposed protesters with fatalities recorded.