Officers from the Lagos State Police Command used tear gas and made several arrests on Sunday as they dispersed protesters marking the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS movement, which gained global attention in October 2020.
Videos from the protest showed demonstrators fleeing amid gunfire and clouds of tear gas filling the area. One of the arrested activists, Hassan Soweto, spoke from a police van, stating, “We’re asking here today when the right to commemorate the dead has become illegal and criminalized in this country.” He condemned the police for their actions, saying they were simply there to honor the memory of those killed in the protests four years ago.
The protesters gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate around 8:30 a.m., carrying banners and placards that demanded justice and accountability for victims of police brutality. They called for the full implementation of recommendations from various judicial panels established to address grievances following the 2020 protests.
The #EndSARS movement erupted in October 2020 as thousands protested against the abuses committed by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force. The protests escalated into a tragic confrontation at the Lekki Toll Gate, where security forces, including the military, allegedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, resulting in injuries and contested fatalities.
Nearly four years later, many of the judicial panels’ recommendations remain unimplemented, leaving activists and human rights advocates frustrated.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Police Command, defended the police’s actions, claiming that the protesters were causing traffic disruptions at the toll gate. He stated that minimal force was used to disperse the crowd after they were warned to leave. Despite reports of injuries and arrests, Hundeyin denied that there was any significant confrontation between the police and the protesters.
As the world reflects on the importance of the #EndSARS movement, this recent event underscores the ongoing struggles faced by activists seeking justice for victims and demanding accountability from authorities.