Police fired tear gas at the Lekki Toll Gate on Tuesday to disperse activists and concerned Nigerians gathered to mark the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, disrupting a commemoration in honour of victims of police brutality.
The gathering was organised to remember those who lost their lives during the 2020 demonstrations and renew calls for justice, accountability and comprehensive police reforms.
As tear gas filled the area, protesters were forced to flee, bringing the planned commemoration to an abrupt halt.
Among those who gathered at the toll gate were the Lagos State governorship candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Funso Doherty, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
Despite the disruption, activists vowed to continue the struggle for justice and police reforms that inspired the #EndSARS movement, insisting that the demands of the protests remain relevant six years later.
Tension has since subsided, and the area is now clear.
Tuesday’s incident has renewed concerns over citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, particularly as Nigerians gathered to commemorate a protest movement that sought to end police brutality.
The incident occurred six years after young Nigerians took to the streets in October 2020 to demand an end to police brutality, particularly abuses associated with the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The demonstrations spread across the country, with the Lekki Toll Gate emerging as one of the movement’s most prominent locations. On October 20, 2020, soldiers opened fire on protesters at the toll gate, an incident that remains a source of controversy over casualties and accountability.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, established to investigate the incident, found that protesters were shot at, injured and killed. The state government subsequently rejected key aspects of the panel’s findings, including parts of its conclusions concerning casualties.
Since then, anniversary commemorations at the toll gate have repeatedly been disrupted by confrontations between security operatives and people seeking to honour victims of the protests.
In October 2021, police fired tear gas during a memorial procession organised by youths and celebrities to honour victims of police brutality. The then Lagos Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said officers were dispersing people he described as “miscreants”, rather than participants in the procession.
In 2024, police again fired tear gas to disperse protesters marking the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS demonstrations. The protesters had demanded the full implementation of recommendations made by judicial panels established after the 2020 protests, while the police said officers intervened after the protesters refused to disperse.
The #EndSARS movement led to the disbandment of SARS in October 2020. However, demands for accountability, compensation for victims and broader police reforms have continued, with successive anniversary commemorations serving as reminders of the unresolved issues that fuelled the protests.
