Comedian Debo Adebayo who is better known as Mr Macaroni has condemned the police for the treatment meted out to him and other protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, claiming that they were stripped naked.
“When we were picked up, we were taken to Adeniji where we were beaten, we were stripped naked,” he said in a video posted on his Twitter handle on Sunday, February 14, 2021. “Everyone was beaten.”
The comedian explained that he initially did not want to go for the protest as he had been warned by his family, but noted that he changed his mind because people will be at the Toll Gate.
— MrMacaroni (@mrmacaronii) February 14, 2021
He claimed that his phone was also destroyed after he was arrested by the law enforcement agents.
“The only reason I went there is because I knew people would be there and in good conscience, I don’t know,” the comedian added.
“But I knew people would die and I saw it, and I can confirm it that if words did not get out, people would have died because nobody would have known where anybody was or who picked up who.”
Macaroni and several others were on Saturday arrested by the police for protesting against the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the toll gate, which was symbolic of last October’s #EndSARS protests. They, were, however, granted bail.
On October 20, military officials opened fire at peaceful protesters gathered at the toll.
Although the Nigerian government and military have denied any wrongdoing, critics say it is premature to reopen the toll gate until all investigations are concluded.
The Federal Government had on Thursday warned against violence in the planned protest, going further to urge the organizers to cancel their demonstration.
