The Nigeria Police Force has denied Senator Shehu Sani’s claims that people are still detained from the 2020 EndSARS protests.
Police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that all arrests were lawful and no one is being unlawfully held.
The statement cited Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu‘s pardoning of at least 100 suspects in Lagos as proof.
The Police urged the public to disregard Sani’s allegations and restated the force’s commitment to justice and human rights.
The statement partly reads:
“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.
“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.
“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 urge the public to disregard this claim and remain assured of our commitment to upholding justice, the rule of law, and human rights.
“We encourage verifying information before making public statements to avoid harm and incitement.”