Five years after the #EndSARS protest, during which some demonstrators and police officers lost their lives, many Nigerian youths and activists on Monday remembered the victims and reflected on the movement’s unfulfilled promises.
They lamented that despite the sacrifices made, justice has yet to be served, and the losses suffered during the protest remain unaddressed. The activists noted that little progress has been made, as the core issues that sparked the movement — police brutality, corruption, and poor governance — still persist.
The peaceful nationwide demonstration, which began on October 8, 2020, would later assume a violent dimension and rock Nigeria’s major cities like a wildfire.
The EndSARS protest, largely driven by Nigerian youths, challenged police brutality and the disbandment of the country’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit. The demands later extended to include oppression, corruption, and what they referred to as systemic failure.
The protest forced the National Executive Council (NEC), headed by then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to mandate state governors to set up panels and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extra-judicial killings.
When the #EndSARS protest was climaxing, the NEC “directed the immediate establishment of State-based Judicial Panels of Inquiry across the country to receive and investigate complaints of police brutality or related extra-judicial killings with a view to delivering justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units.”
Blood and deaths
By 20 October, according to reports, several people were killed across the country. Victims include protesters and thugs who were allegedly hired by the authorities to confront the protesters. The majority of the killings were recorded in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Kano and Edo states.
In Lagos alone, no fewer than 29 people, including two policemen, were killed when the police shot protesters in different parts of the state.
Within 48 hours, no fewer than 27 buildings, including police stations, media houses, government secretariats, and the court, were attacked and left in ruins in the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu while taking record of the properties destroyed by the arsonists, said the level of destruction in the state “is akin to a war zone.”
In Oyo State, Daily Trust reports that five police officers were killed while many sustained injuries in the state during the October 2020 EndSARS nationwide protest.
Lekki toll gate incident
On the night of 20 October 2020, at about 6.50pm, operatives of the Nigerian Army opened fire on unarmed EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate (Admiralty Circle Plaza) in Lagos State.
Amnesty International stated that at least 12 protesters were killed during the shooting.
A day after the incident, Sanwo-Olu denied reports of any loss of lives, but later admitted in an interview with a CNN journalist that “only two persons were killed.”
The Nigerian Army initially denied involvement in the shooting, but later stated that it had deployed soldiers to the toll gate on the orders of the Governor of Lagos State.
A month after the shooting, following a CNN documentary on the shooting, the Nigerian Army admitted to the Lagos Judiciary panel of inquiry into the shooting that it had deployed its personnel to the toll gate with both live and blank bullets.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel on #EndSARS and police brutality had indicted Sanwo-Olu in the brutal intervention of the Nigerian Army at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, but the Lagos State Government rejected the report.
What has changed five years after?
On Monday, many Nigerian youths, especially on social media, recalled the incident and its tales of woe, while paying tribute to the victims.
Rinu Oduala (@SavvyRinu), one of the major voices behind the protest, on Monday posted: “Five years on, we can only remember to resist. It shouldn’t have been at the expense of your lives. Many deniers of your deaths are still in power. We failed you, and Nigeria failed us all.
“To those who were brutally murdered by the state, the maimed, and those still in prison, we are sorry we haven’t been able to do so much more for you five years on. #EndSARS.”
But the question lingers: has anything really changed five years on? “Nothing has really changed,” CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, told Daily Trust yesterday.
Rafsanjani expressed worry that most of the issues that led to the protest have not been addressed by the government.
“The commemoration of the ENDSARS protest further reminds us of the very reason the protest was organised, unfortunately and sadly, those issues are not being addressed by the Nigerian State.
“Secondly, the loss of lives and property that accompanied the protest has not been equally recovered. Therefore, Nigerian people suffer bad governance, institutional corruption, insecurity, hunger, and deprivation,” he said.
Rafsanjani while speaking on the lessons of the incident, said “The good lesson is that it has brought international attention to some of the atrocities being committed in the country, especially by the police. Sadly, the police actions have been further exposed.
“Another lesson is the perpetual lies and denial, which, after the pressure, they have to admit that people were killed and even agreed to pay compensation.”
Comrade Yinka Folarin, Vice President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, said some “gory lessons” were learnt during the incident.
“Were lessons learnt? I will say to a certain extent, but not reasonably. I will say people have come to realise that power lies in the hands of the people and that we must all kick against human rights violations, we must know that the searchlight is there.
“The police have also come to realise that they are among the people and they must protect and not harass them.
“Most of the lessons are gory lessons. It impacted us negatively, and as a country, we must do everything to prevent such a recurrence of such a protest, and the factors that led to it must be addressed holistically,” he said.
Folarin believed that there has been an increase in the disciplinary actions being meted out to the erring officers after the incident.
Global Rights demands justice
A rights group, Global Rights, has once again demanded justice and accountability for the victims of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS massacre.
In a statement titled “Waiting for Accountability: 20.10.20 — Five Years On,” Abiodun Baiyewu, Executive Director of Global Rights, lamented that despite multiple judicial panels of inquiry set up to investigate the killings and police abuses, no one has been held accountable and most of the panel recommendations remain unimplemented.
Baiyewu described the continued lack of justice as “a deep wound on Nigeria’s democracy,” noting that trust between citizens and government has continued to erode.
“The tragic events of October 20, 2020, when armed security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters holding the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem, drove that deficit even deeper,” she said.
According to her, the #EndSARS movement was not only a protest against police brutality but a broader call for justice, accountability, and reform in governance.
“The protesters’ five demands — justice for victims, compensation for families, police oversight, reform, and better welfare for officers — remain largely unmet,” Baiyewu added.
The group expressed concern that the repression of peaceful dissent continues, citing the government’s handling of the #EndBadGovernance protests of 2024, where at least 30 protesters were reportedly killed and dozens detained, including minors accused of treason.
Protesters shun Lekki Toll Gate on 5th anniversary
Unlike in previous years, the usually symbolic Lekki Toll Gate Plaza was deserted yesterday.
The plaza, which had previously drawn large crowds of young Nigerians for solemn remembrance, remained calm, with no major gatherings held.
At the plaza yesterday, armed police officers from the Lagos State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Jimoh Olohundare, were stationed to prevent any form of assembly. No major protest occurred.
Speaking to journalists, Olohundare said the Command was committed to maintaining public order.
“We believe disgruntled individuals have begun to see reasons why law and order must prevail. Where your rights stop is where others’ begin,” he said.
“It doesn’t pay to destroy property. People should follow established legal procedures to express their grievances. We cannot allow investments in Lagos to be threatened by misguided individuals taking the law into their own hands.”
Responding to questions on police reform, Olohundare noted that the Kayode Egbetokun-led Nigeria Police Force had introduced several initiatives to enhance welfare, equipment, and human rights training.
“From our uniforms to logistics, there have been improvements. We’ve bridged the gap between the police and the public,” he said.
“The Inspector General has also strengthened the training and retraining of officers to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law.”
He added that since assuming office in Lagos, he had expanded tactical operations, including the establishment of the Eko Strike Force Team and the increase of tactical squads from 23 to 33 units, alongside enhanced community engagement efforts.
@Daily Trust
