The Lagos State Police Command has released nine pro- testing activists and students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) earlier arrested and detained yesterday. The students and activists had been arrested and detained at a cell in its State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba. However, the activists and students who were being put in Room D15 were later released in the afternoon.
It was earlier reported that the police arrested Giwa Yisa Topnotch while protesting with UNILAG students against fee increment by the school authorities. Two other activists arrested by police officers have been identified as Femi Adeyeye and Philip Olatinwo. Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state who had confirmed the arrests, had added however, that he did not have information on their identities.
The students were protesting the decision of the university to increase the payable fees of students from N26,000 and about N76,000 to between N120,750 and N240,250 depending on the course of study and level. Following their arrest, the officers had put them in a police van popularly called Black Maria stationed in the area. But Mr Adeyeye and Mr Olatinwo urged the protesters to continue and not panic.
“This is not a time to panic at all. We are here in the van and we are assuring you that this is just the beginning of the struggle,” they said in a video posted on the X platform inside the police van. The police also fired tear gas at the protesters to disperse them. Before they began the protest, there was a heavy presence of security operatives including officers of the Department of State Service (DSS), the police and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) at the institution’s main gate.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), in a statement by its Deputy National Coordinator, Isaac Ogunjimi, called on the commissioner of police to “immediately and unconditionally release the protesters.” According to the group, three, and not two protesters were arrested by the police.
The group named the third person as Ayodele Aduwo. “The activists on Wednesday 6 September, 2023, joined students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in a peaceful protest against the University’s decision to hike fees when a team of gun-wielding policemen swooped on them,” the statement reads. “We demand their immediate release now and a halt to attacks on democratic rights.
“The police should be reminded that protest is a right guaranteed by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Also, the Supreme Court pronouncement on the case of All Nigeria Peoples Party & Ors. v. Inspector General of Police (2006) CHR 181 has already settled the controversy over whether or not a police permit is required for a protest.”
