A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba has convicted six individuals who were arrested during the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The convicts, Daniel Joyinbo, Adigun Sodiq, Kehinde Shola, Salaudeen Kamilu, Sodiq Usseni, and Azeez Isiaka, were charged with causing a breach of peace.
The court, however, ordered their release after noting that they had already spent four years in custody—far exceeding the punishment prescribed by law.
The #EndSARS movement began in October 2020 as a peaceful protest against police brutality in Nigeria, particularly focusing on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
SARS, a unit of the Nigerian Police Force, was infamous for its alleged human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and extortion.
The protests, which were largely organized on social media, quickly gained momentum across the country, with thousands of young Nigerians taking to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and broader social and economic reforms.
The movement soon attracted international attention, with global figures and organizations expressing solidarity with the protesters.
However, the peaceful protests took a violent turn on October 20, 2020, when Nigerian security forces reportedly opened fire on unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, leading to numerous casualties.
This incident, now widely referred to as the “Lekki Massacre,” drew widespread condemnation and escalated the unrest across Nigeria.
The six convicts in this case were arrested on November 23, 2020, during the height of the protests in Ebute Metta, Lagos.
According to the charges brought against them by the Lagos State Government, they were accused of “conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace,” an offence punishable under Section 168(d) of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.
When the case was called on Thursday, August 22, 2024, the prosecution team led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, informed the court that the charges against the accused had been amended.
The new charge was read aloud to the defendants, who pleaded guilty.
Following their guilty plea, Dr. Martins urged the court to sentence the convicts according to the law under which they were charged. The offence of breach of peace carries a maximum punishment of three months imprisonment or a fine of N15,000.
However, the convicts had already spent nearly four years in detention—far beyond the maximum sentence.
The defence counsel, Tajudeen Ojeshino, pleaded with the court for leniency, highlighting that the convicts were first-time offenders, young, and in some cases, the sole breadwinners of their families.
He argued that the time they had spent in custody was sufficient punishment and that they had learned their lessons.
“My lord, I plead with the court to temper justice with mercy as the convicts are first-time offenders. Some of them are the breadwinners of their families and are still very young. They have already spent four years in prison and have learned their lessons,” Ojeshino said.
Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi, who presided over the case, questioned the convicts to ensure they fully understood the charges against them and the potential consequences. After confirming their understanding, she delivered her judgment.
While she convicted them of the offence, she ordered their immediate release, citing the time they had already served in custody as sufficient punishment.
“Although you have been convicted of the offence, the time you have spent in custody far exceeds the maximum sentence for this charge. You are hereby released, but I warn you never to engage in any criminal activity in the future,” Magistrate Osunsanmi said.
