Funke Busari, Lagos
Not less than 40 protesters including popular Comedian, Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr. Macaroni were arraigned over the #OccupyLekkiTollGate protest on Saturday.
The protesters were brought before a Lagos State Magistrate Court in Yaba on a two count charge of alledged conspiracy, breach of public peace and flouting of COVID-19 protocols.
Recall that the government and police authorities had on Thursday warned residents of the State against any protest or infraction of COVID-19 protocols in the State.
But in the early hours of today, protesters trickled in and around the Lekki Toll Gate Plaza to protest what they perceived as injustice, following the ruling of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry against Police Brutality and other abuses.
Upon their arraignment, the defendant were granted bail in the sum of N100,000 each.
Some of the defendants are; Answer Harrison, Adekanbi Kayode, Yemi Orungbamila, Anjorin Joseph Seye, Paul Terkuma.
Also, Dayo Keshinro, Belema Briggs, Anisere Sodiq, Olanrewaju Olonta, Damilare Adenola, among others.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you the above named defendants on the 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki Toll Plaza in the Yaba Magisterial District did conspired among yourselves to commit a misdemeanour to wit conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you the above named defendants on the 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki Toll Plaza in the Yaba Magisterial District being a public place, gathered yourselves to harass and causing unnecessary alarm and panic in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 168 (1) (e) and punishable under Section 168 (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
While count two reads, “That you the above named defendants on the 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki Toll Plaza in the Yaba Magisterial District did fail to comply with the Restriction/Prohibition Quarantine Law which prohibit any social gathering to avoid spreading and contacting of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act Q2 Law of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004 as domesticated under Public Health Law CH: P: Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
