By Abiola Olawale
Popular Instagram comedian, Debo Adebayo, also known as Mr Macaroni, has on Sunday broken silence on why he joined the #OccupyLekki protest despite warning by members of his family and what transpired following his arrest alongside other protesters, Saturday.
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) operatives who had on Friday stormed the Lekki Plaza in anticipation of the resumption of the #EndSARS protest over the decision of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the Lekki Plaza, had arrested 40 protesters who were sighted at the venue, protesting.
The protesters have now been charged with alleged conspiracy, disturbance of public peace and violation of Covid-19 protocols amid outright condemnation from members of the Nigerian public, who had kicked against the mass arrests and dehumanization of the protesters by the police.
Mr. Macaroni who was among those arrested by the police and later released late Saturday, reacted to his arrest in a video he posted on his social media handles.
The comedian recounted how he was beaten and stripped naked alongside 39 other protesters that were arrested at the Lekki Tollgate.
The Comedian stated that he had a perception that many were going to be killed following the massive presence of the security agencies prior to Saturday, at the Lekki Tollgate. Hence, he decided to join the protest, noting that the Nigerian government would go to any length to ensure the implementation of their decision.
According to him, the government has ‘no value for lives of its citizens’,
In his words, “I want to thank everyone for speaking up, I want to thank everyone for showing love, my phones are back now but I can’t really reply messages. I am here, I am in my house. I want to address some few things about the recent events. It is not that I am brave, infact I was scared, my father called me, all my siblings and friends called me not to go out. Honestly, in my heart, I didn’t want to go out, but the only reason I went was because I knew people will be there (Lekki Tollgate), and in good conscience, I knew people will die because I saw it.
“I can confirm to you that if words did not get out (about the arrest), people would have died because nobody would have known where everybody was or who picked who. I was at Lekki Phase 1, I was about shooting (a skit), that is to tell you that I didn’t really want to go because I was scared… When we were picked up, we were taken to Adeniji and we were beaten and stripped naked. Everyone was beaten. I have asked them (his friends) to put it the names of the 39 people that were arrested with me.
“These 39 people gave me strength to go out. It wasn’t me, it was these 39 people who gave me ginger for me to see what was happening (at Lekki Tollgate). They are the real heroes. They went out to ask the government why they wanted to reopen the tollgate, not to fight. Nobody will be protesting if they (Judiciary Panel) are not talking about reopening the tollgate. Have we gotten Justice for what happened last October? Nobody supports violence, killings or destruction of public properties but we need to talk to the government because they are responsible for protection of the lives and properties of citizens. There were over 200 policemen there (at the tollgate) and you want to tell me that you could not guarantee a peaceful protest, if there was going to be one? That shows that you guys (government and police operatives) are irresponsible. It is a serious war our there, if words was not out (about the arrest), they would have killed us. They (police) were saying it, they say ‘we will shoot you and nothing will happen’. We have a serious problem in our hands but it is not enough to silence our voices.”
Recall that Mr. Macaroni is a Nigerian popular Instagram comedian, actor, script writer and a producer. The 29-year-old celebrity was born and bred in Lagos Nigeria on May 3, 1992.
