Contrary to earlier plans where they disclosed that the second day of the #RevolutionNow protest would take place at Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, the organisers on Tuesday reneged.
This is just as the Lagos State Police Command charged the arrested six protesters to court for unlawful assembly.
According to the spokesman of the movement, Lanre Adeleke, the coalition had no intention to continue the protest for now.
Dismissing the notion as misinformation, he said their plan was to ensure the safety of all those arrested nationwide, including the nine picked up by the police.
Journalists had set out to Freedom Park to cover the protest only to meet no one, but the presence of huge security deployment to secure the park.
In a phone interview with journalists after members of the group failed to show up at the park, which was initially reported to be their next point of convergence in Lagos, the spokesman said they didn’t announce any protest.
He said, "We didn't announce any program for freedom park today. What you guys heard was totally a misinformation, because we have to use today to see to all those persons that have been arrested nationwide and be sure of their safety.
“This is actually one of the responsibilities we have to carry out first. And again, they are picking Sowore (Sahara Reporters founder) with them to court.
“We have to be present, study the outcome, then know the next line of action. What is actually going on in the media is actually a misinformation.
“We will definitely inform you of our next line of action hopefully by the end of the day when we might have returned from court. We are not going back."
When journalists arrived at the supposed venue at about 7am on Tuesday morning, there were heavy presence of fully armed military personnel and policemen surrounding the park, and patrol vans going around it.
They likewise had the park under lock and key to prevent anyone from entering into the park, including journalists.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the police charged six out of the arrested nine protesters to Ebute Metta Magistrate Court.
Confirming the arraignment, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, a deputy superintendent of police, however could not specify on what charges they were arraigned.
On why the police arraigned six instead of the nine arrested protesters, he said they had to release three after confirming that they were indeed journalists.
He said: “We arraigned only six of the protesters and not nine. We interviewed them and were able to confirm that they were journalists for an online platform, so the three were released.”
The spokesman who could not say what the outcome of the arraignment was, said details were still sketchy as at press time.
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