Adekunle Ajisebutu, the command’s spokeswoman, told journalists that the command’s attention had been called to a post circulating on social media indicating that the police in Lagos had agreed to allow public protests on the first anniversary of the #EndSARS incident on October 20, 2021.

He said, on the contrary, the police will only allow an indoor and virtual event in commemoration of the #EndSARS memorial and will provide adequate security at the venue if known.

“This is in recognition of the rights of every Nigerian to express his or her interest.

“We wish we could permit such street protests but intelligence at our disposal has revealed plans by some faceless groups or individuals to stage an anti-EndSARS memorial protest in the state the same day,”  he said.

According to him, the leadership has advised both pro and anti- #EndSARS memorial groups against any sort of street protest between now and October 20, 2021, and beyond, citing the opposing interests and threat of causing mayhem.

Against the warning on street protest, popular Nigerian rapper, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has directed Nigerians to participate in the #EndSARS memorial car procession taking place today. Falz, on his Instagram page, said there will be no protest, but a procession of Nigerians through the Lekki tollgate, to remember those who lost their lives on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protest.

According to him, “it is im- possible not to ‘memorialize’ our fallen heroes. We will never forget that innocent Nigerian citizens waved flags and sang till they were shot at, injured, and killed.

“We must never forget we are rolling up in cars tomorrow to drive through the tollgate. We know their way, so a procession of cars is the safest option to minimize police harassment.”

Speaking on the effects of the protests, the Ikeja branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) said one year after the #EndSARS protests, lawyers in Lagos were still reeling from its after-effects, notably the issue of burnt or missing case files. During the protest, the historic edifice and oldest judicial building in Nigeria, Igbosere High Court, was razed, with the rebuilding of the court complex yet to commence.

Mr.Bartholomew Aguegbodo, the NBA Ikeja branch chairman, said lawyers are still feeling the after-effects of the #EndSARS protest, adding that “there are a lot of hiccups caused by the burning of the courthouse, case files, and exhibits during the #EndSARS crisis and some of those case files are yet to be recovered.

“It was just less than two months ago that alternative solutions were put in place for new courthouses in Yaba and Ikoyi areas of Lagos.

“We are still battling to grasp with the weight of the #EndSARS crisis up till now,” he said. The NBA chairman noted that following the arson attack, several lost records could not be retrieved because the online e-filing system for the judiciary had not fully taken off.