Femi Falana Leads As Lawyers Protest Against Police Brutality In Lagos [PHOTOS]

Lawyers in Lagos state have taken to the streets to protest the police brutality against their colleagues and Nigerians.

The demonstration is particularly timely given that Olumide Sonupe, a lawyer from Lagos, was recently detained for two days by the police at the Gowon Estate Police Station in Lagos.

On December 30, 2023, Sonupe was reportedly taken to the hospital following his arrest by the police for allegedly assaulting a police officer during a negotiation.

Days after the development, hundreds of lawyers who condemned this incident and other recent incidents of harassment and assault by the Nigerian police gathered at the bar centre of the Nigerian Bar Association (Ikeja branch) from where they marched peacefully to the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command.

Briefing journalists in Ikeja, Falana said the five branches of the NBA in Lagos met with the state police commissioner, Adegoke Fayoade, whom he said assured the lawyers that a thorough investigation has commenced into the incident.

“Lawyers in Lagos State decided to come together today to protest against police brutality because of the recent maltreatment meted out to one of our colleagues,” he stated.

“We are making a case through him that Nigerian lawyers will no longer allow the brutalisation of lawyers and indeed other citizens. The NBA wants a full investigation of the incident in the station and happily, the commissioner of police announced today that hyper investigation is already ongoing.”

The lawyers were supposed to drop their petition against police brutality with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade. Still, before they could set out for the protest, the commissioner who got wind of the planned protest showed up at the bar centre to dialogue with the lawyers and address their concerns.

The lawyers protested his presence but following the intervention of Falana, they allowed him to address the gathering after which the letter of protest was submitted to him.

Despite this, the lawyers led by Falana and the chairmen of all five branches of the NBA in Lagos, embarked on the protest, chanting solidarity songs to register their displeasure at the conduct of the police.