Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr. Macaroni came out to address the media in light of the events that occurred on Saturday during the #OccupyLekkiTollgate protests. Debo and 39 other protesters were whisked by the police when they came out to voice their grievances about the verdict to reopen the Lekki tollgate.
He started by thanking Nigerians for lending their voices which were instrumental in his release. “I want to thank everyone for speaking up. I am in my house, and I am okay, ” he said.
He then revealed that he had initially planned to do a video shoot on Saturday. “I didn’t want to go out at first. The only reason I went was that I knew people will be there.”, he said.
Debo then went on to state that the main reason he decided to go was that he knew the protesters’ lives were at stake. He claimed that if the word didn’t get out about a high-profiled arrest, people would have been killed because nobody would be able to verify anything.
“I knew people would die. I saw it, and I can confirm to you that if the word did not get out, people would have died because nobody would know where anybody was”, he said.
He also advised Nigerians to stop judging other celebrities who did not come out in protest on Saturday, despite the event being highly promoted on social media.
“I don’t think anyone should be talking about whether or not celebrities came out. People are scared for their lives,” he explained.
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Speaking on what happened after he and the other protesters were taken away, he said they were taken to a police station and beaten severely. “When we were picked up, we were taken to Adeniji, where we were beaten, stripped naked– everyone was beaten, ” he said bitterly.
“Nobody is in support of the violence, killings, and destruction of properties. We simply came out to say, ‘is opening the tollgate now really the next step?'”, he said. “Without any justice, so many families are left in years of sorrow for the loss of loved ones, ” he continued.
He then went on to lambast the government for their poor efforts in protecting the rights of the citizens to protest peacefully.
“The government is responsible for protection. We had 200 policemen show up, and yet you couldn’t have guaranteed a peaceful protest if there was going to be one? You are irresponsible!”, he exclaimed.
“It’s not enough to silence our voices. You cannot continue to oppress us. We have the voice and we will use it to talk, ” he said.
“The government will kill anybody, dehumanize anybody, just to make sure they do what they want.
“These people will kill anybody. If the word was not out, people would have died clean and clear. The officials themselves were telling us that they would shoot us and nothing would happen if it was night, ” he said animatedly.
He then spoke against rumor-mongers and conspiracists who alleged that he was being paid by high-profile politicians to stage the arrest.
He said: “I normally don’t believe in curses. However, anybody that is saying I collected money from Atiku, you will not have peace. You and your children”.
Debo then revealed that he would be going to the hospital for a full check-up, referencing the bruises on his body from the severe beating he received from the police.
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