Soweto shared harrowing details of his ordeal in a video and statement posted on X.com, claiming he was beaten, arrested, and thrown into a police Black Maria for peacefully holding a banner and wreath to honor the victims of the October 20, 2020, Lekki toll gate shooting.
“Beaten, arrested, and thrown inside a Black Maria for holding a banner and wreath to lay at the Lekki Toll Gate to commemorate the #EndSARS Lekki tollgate massacre,” Soweto wrote in the post, igniting a wave of online backlash.
In the accompanying video, recorded from inside the police van, Soweto vowed not to be silenced. “This video was made inside a Black Maria. This injustice will not be tolerated, nor will we be cowed. #EndBadGovernance,” he declared defiantly.
The arrest comes amid heightened tension at the site, where protesters had gathered to pay tribute to the lives lost during the military crackdown of the 2020 #EndSARS movement. The protest-turned-memorial was met with a swift and forceful response from the Lagos State Police, who fired teargas earlier to disperse the crowd.
Soweto’s arrest has intensified the already simmering frustration with Nigerian authorities over the unfulfilled promises made after the 2020 protests. Social media users have expressed anger and disbelief, accusing the government of using brute force to stifle dissent and suppress peaceful gatherings.
Despite the crackdown, protesters remain resolute, insisting that the legacy of #EndSARS cannot be erased.
The Lagos State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding the detentions.
