#EndSARS 6 Years After: Justice For Victims

Six years have passed since the #EndSARS protests brought parts of Nigeria to a standstill, exposing deep-seated public anger over police brutality, which had worsened over the years.

The protests, which began in October 2020, marked a defining moment in relations between Nigerians and the police. Young people took to the streets to demand an end to extortion, torture, unlawful arrests and extrajudicial killings, particularly those associated with the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Established to combat violent crime, SARS became notorious for abuses, including torture, extortion and the killing of innocent citizens. The government’s immediate response was to disband the unit, but this fell short of addressing the institutional violence, impunity and disregard for human rights that fuelled the protests.

Six years later, the heavy-handed treatment of those who gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to lay wreaths and make speeches in honour of the victims shows that the desired change in police operations remains elusive.

More importantly, the failure to ensure comprehensive accountability for abuses committed during the protests has further weakened public confidence in official promises of police reform.

The events of October 20, 2020, at the Lekki Toll Gate remain the most enduring symbol of the tragedy. Although the government initially denied that anyone had been killed, Amnesty International reported that at least 12 protesters were killed at Lekki and Alausa that day, while hundreds sustained serious injuries during the wider crackdown. Nationwide, the organisation documented at least 56 deaths during the protests.

Although the precise casualty figures surrounding the Lekki incident remain contested, evidence of shootings, injuries and deaths cannot reasonably be dismissed.

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry documented nine people listed as dead, four missing and presumed dead, and 21 with gunshot injuries among those identified in its findings. It concluded that unarmed protesters had been shot at, assaulted and battered by security personnel. The panel also raised serious concerns about the removal of bodies, the collection of bullet shells and the denial of access to ambulances. Human Rights Watch subsequently called for the findings to be acted upon and those responsible to be held accountable.

Sadly, six years later, there is still no widely established record of criminal convictions of those responsible for the killings. The failure to secure justice for victims who were exercising their democratic rights to peaceful assembly, association and dissent remains a grave indictment of the country’s accountability mechanisms.

The passage of time must not be used to bury the truth, nor should disputes over casualty figures obscure the fundamental questions: who ordered the use of force against unarmed protesters? Who fired the live ammunition? And who should be held accountable for the resulting deaths and injuries?

The anniversary should be an occasion for national reflection, accountability and reconciliation. Instead, the police response to mourners who gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2026, suggests that the force has yet to fully embrace the lessons of 2020.

Reports indicate that police officers fired tear gas to disperse participants who had gathered to commemorate the victims, lay wreaths and make speeches. Organised by the Enough is Enough movement, the gathering was intended to honour those who died or went missing during the protests.

Despite the solemn nature of the occasion, officers forcibly dispersed participants, including political figures and journalists, using tear gas.

This response was particularly disturbing because the gathering sought to remember victims of police brutality. The participants were exercising their rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and remembrance. A wreath-laying ceremony is not a threat to public order, and speeches demanding justice are not acts of insurrection.

Where assemblies remain peaceful, the police have a duty to facilitate them, protect participants and address legitimate public-order concerns without unnecessary confrontation.

Using tear gas to disperse a peaceful memorial sends the wrong message: that the state remains uncomfortable with citizens publicly remembering those who died during a deeply flawed security operation.

As a newspaper, we call for a fundamental change in police attitudes if the force is to regain public trust. In a democracy, the police must not treat every assembly as a threat or every demand for accountability as a challenge to be crushed. Their operations must be guided by service, restraint, professionalism and respect for the rule of law.

The repeated disruption of #EndSARS memorial activities also raises questions about whether the lessons of 2020 have been learnt.

The Nigeria Police Force needs comprehensive reorientation and retraining in democratic policing, crowd management, human rights and the lawful use of force. Officers must understand that their primary responsibility during peaceful assemblies is to protect citizens, not intimidate or punish them.

Such training must be backed by enforceable operational rules, independent oversight and sanctions for misconduct. Without personal accountability for abuses, meaningful change will remain elusive.

Above all, the denial of justice to #EndSARS victims remains a glaring failure. The sanctity of human life was violated, and the resulting pain extends beyond the immediate victims to their families and the nation. Until those responsible are identified and brought to justice, the wounds inflicted on Nigeria’s democracy will remain open, especially on every October 20.