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Lagos State Police officers arrested several protesters on Sunday during a rally to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS movement. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, which had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate to demand justice and reforms promised in the aftermath of the 2020 protests against police brutality.
Videos from the scene captured protesters fleeing as shots were fired into the air and tear gas spread through the area. The demonstrators, who arrived at the toll gate around 8:30 a.m. with placards and banners, called for the full implementation of recommendations made by various judicial panels established after the protests.
Police have arrested several activists at the Lekki tollgate during the #EndSARS anniversary, marking the alleged shooting of peaceful protesters by soldiers on October 20, 2020#LekkiMassacreRemembrance#LekkiTollGatepic.twitter.com/RTgzQ11CED
— Starleeon💫🦁 (@starleeon_) October 20, 2024
©️: @NewsCentralTV
The #EndSARS movement, which erupted in October 2020, was a nationwide protest against abuses by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force. The movement reached its peak at Lekki Toll Gate, where security forces, including the Nigerian military, reportedly opened fire on peaceful protesters. While the exact death toll remains disputed, many were injured, and deaths were reported in the aftermath.
In response to the 2020 protests, judicial panels were set up across Nigeria to investigate the incidents and address protesters’ demands. However, nearly four years later, many of the panels’ recommendations have not been fully implemented, frustrating activists and human rights groups.
At the anniversary rally, one protester shared his experience, recounting how he was injured during the police action. “They started firing tear gas at us. I fell into the gutter and got hit on the head,” he told an online media outlet.
Hassan Soweto, one of the arrested protesters, spoke from a police van, stating: “We came to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS Lekki Toll Gate event, but we were apprehended by policemen. I’m speaking to you now from a Black Maria, having been beaten by officers without provocation. We’re here to commemorate our brothers and sisters who were killed four years ago, and we call on the international media and public to pressure the Nigerian government and the Tinubu administration to stop further attacks on peaceful protesters. We will not stop demanding our rights.”
However, Benjamin Hundeyin, the Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Police Command, defended the police response. He explained that the protesters were causing traffic disruptions at the toll gate and were asked to leave but refused, prompting officers to use “minimal force” to disperse them. Hundeyin denied any confrontation or significant injuries between police and protesters.
As the global community reflects on the #EndSARS movement, which spotlighted police brutality in Nigeria and across Africa, Sunday’s rally underscores the ongoing frustrations of activists. Many are still seeking justice for the victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting and demanding that the government’s promises of police reform and accountability be realized.
