Lagos, Nigeria – Officers of the Lagos State Police Command used tear gas and made arrests on Sunday to disperse protesters rallying to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
The protesters, who gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate around 8:30 a.m. with banners and placards, called for the full implementation of the recommendations made by various judicial panels of inquiry set up in the aftermath of the 2020 protests.
Their placards carried messages demanding justice and accountability for the victims of police brutality and the implementation of reforms promised by the government.
The #EndSARS movement erupted across Nigeria in October 2020, as thousands of young people took to the streets in major cities to protest against the rampant abuses, killings, and extortion committed by officers of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The protests culminated in a tragic confrontation at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where security forces, including the Nigerian military, reportedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.
Speaking at the scene of the recent rally, one of the protesters recounted his experience during the police dispersal. “They have started firing tear gas at us. I fell into the gutter; I was hit on the head,” he told an online media.
In another video obtained by National Reports on social media, one of the arrested activists, Hassan Soweto, speaking from the Black Maria, said: “A group of protesters who wanted to mark the fourth anniversary of the EndSars Lekki Toll Gate event were apprehended by a group of policemen under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State.
“I am right now speaking to you from a black maria, completely beaten by police officers without provocation.
“We’re asking here today when the right to commemorate the dead has become illegal and criminalized in this country.
“We’re simply here to mark the passage of our brothers and sisters who were killed four years ago; we’re asking the international media and members of the public to prevail over the Nigerian government, and the Tinubu regime to stop further attacks on protesters in our country.
“We’re never going to give up on our right to continue to demand our rights.”
Police Response
The Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, defended the police action, stating that the protesters were causing traffic disruptions at the toll gate.
“They were told to disperse, but they were adamant; we had to use minimal force to disperse them,” Hundeyin said.
He denied that there was any confrontation between the police and protesters, despite reports of arrests and injuries.
The events of this rally highlight ongoing frustrations among activists seeking justice and accountability for the victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting and demanding that the promises of police reform and accountability be fulfilled.
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