No Nigerian Should be Punished for Demanding Good Governance – Peter Obi

Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has insisted that no Nigerian should face punishment for demanding good governance and a better future, as the country marks the sixth anniversary of the Lekki Toll Gate shootings.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Obi commemorated the events of October 20, 2020, when peaceful #EndSARS protesters calling for an end to police brutality were met with gunfire at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Lives were lost, many were injured, and the nation was left grappling with unresolved questions about justice, accountability, and the value of human life.

He described the anniversary as a painful reminder of the price Nigerian youths paid in their quest for a better country. “On that fateful night, peaceful #EndSARS protesters were met with gunfire. Lives were lost, many were injured, and the nation was left with questions about justice, accountability, and the sanctity of human life,” Obi said.

The former governor urged Nigerians never to forget the victims or treat the events as normal. “We must never forget. We must never normalise injustice,” he stated, emphasising the need to protect citizens’ rights and ensure that government power is exercised responsibly and with respect for human rights.

Obi reaffirmed his belief that a New Nigeria is possible—one where citizens are protected rather than brutalised, young people are heard rather than silenced, and no one is punished simply for seeking good governance. He prayed for the repose of the souls of those who died and expressed hope that their sacrifice would strengthen the nation’s resolve to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated.

“A New Nigeria is POssible. A Nigeria where every life matters,” he concluded.The #EndSARS protests of October 2020 saw young Nigerians demand the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over allegations of extortion, torture, and extrajudicial killings. The Lekki Toll Gate incident remains one of the defining and most controversial moments of the movement, prompting widespread calls for police reform and accountability that continue to this day.