The Nigerian Police has debunked claims by a former Kaduna State Senator, Shehu Sani that some youths have remained in custody since their arrest in 2020 over the EndSARS protest.
The rebuttal was issued in a statement on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
In an X post on Democracy Day, and during the 2024 Democracy Day Dinner on June 12, 2024, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, claimed some young Nigerians have remained in custody since the 2020 EndSARS demonstrations and called for their release.
Adejobi has however, refuted the claims, stating that no person is held in unlawful custody with the Police or any other security agency in the country in relation to the #EndSARS protest of 2020.
He called on the public to disregard the claims by Sani and urged the former Senator to avoid causing public harm and incitement.
The police said, “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 remains 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.”