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Police release 22 arrested #EndSars memorial protesters
The Lagos State Police Command says it has released all demonstrators who were arrested in the early hours of Sunday, during #EndSars commemoration at the Lekki Toll Gate.
The Command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this via a post on his X handle, stating that Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olanrewaju Ishola, personally oversaw the process.
“All protesters in our custody have been released. CP Olanrewaju Ishola was on the ground at the SCID to personally ensure this,” Hundeyin wrote.
A human right lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, also confirmed the release of all those arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate by the police.
In a post on his X handle, Effiong also confirmed that all the items seized from the demonstrators were returned to them.
The lawyer wrote, “We have secured the release of all the 22 activists who were arrested this morning at the Lekki Toll Gate while commemorating the 4th anniversary of the Lekki massacre.
“We had a discussion with the Commissioner of Police who came over to the State CID in respect of the matter. The items seized from the protesters were also returned to them.”
The demonstrators were arrested as they gathered to mark the fourth anniversary of the October 20, 2020, Lekki Toll Gate shooting, where peaceful protesters were killed during the EndSARS demonstrations against police brutality.
The youths were said to have gathered around 8:30 am at the toll gate with several banners and placards.
They demanded the full implementation of the reports submitted by various judicial panels of inquiry set up after the 2020 protests.
‘Illegal protest’
The police had said that the protesters did not write to seek police clearance and permission before embarking on the rally.
“Constitutionally, they should write to me as the Commissioner of Police of their intention to do so (protest), they did not write to us and as such, any of such gathering is illegal and by extension, police will not allow it to happen,” the State Police Commissioner, Olanrewaju Ishola, told Channels Television.
The CP explained that the police authorities were not unmindful of citizens’ constitutional rights but stressed that while exercising their rights, they must prioritise the laws of the land over other considerations.
‘Police beat, brutalised us’
Meanwhile, the demonstrators accused the police of brutalising them during the memorial procession on Sunday.
“We are protesters who wanted to mark the anniversary of #EndSARS but were apprehended by a group of policemen under the leadership of the commissioner of police,” one of the protesters said in a video earlier posted on X by Inibehe Effiong.
“I am right here speaking to you from a Black Maria brutalised and beaten by the police, my glasses were taken away from my eyes by a police officer without any provocation.
“We are asking today when it has become illegal to protest in this country.”
International rights group, Amnesty International, in its statement earlier, condemned the arrest of protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.
“Amnesty International condemns the Nigeria police for the violent attack on people who assembled at Lekki Toll Gate to honour peaceful protesters killed during the #EndSARS protests against police brutality in October 2020. The reckless use of tear gas and arrests are unacceptable,” the group said on X.
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See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
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