Police operatives on Tuesday fired tear gas to disperse protesters, journalists and political figures gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests.
The incident disrupted a memorial organised by the Enough is Enough (EiE) movement to honour Nigerians who lost their lives during the October 2020 demonstrations against police brutality.
Among those affected were Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Lagos State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to reports, participants had gathered at the toll gate for a wreath-laying ceremony when police officers fired tear gas canisters, forcing those present to flee for safety.
The incident occurred before the planned memorial activities could proceed as intended, with participants scrambling to escape as tear gas spread across the area.
The organisers had planned to lay wreaths in honour of victims of the 2020 protests, which drew nationwide and international attention to allegations of police brutality and human rights abuses in Nigeria.
A report by Punch indicated that participants had arrived at the location and begun laying wreaths before the situation escalated as the crowd grew.
The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, reportedly said she had yet to receive official feedback on the deployment of officers to the location.
The Lekki Toll Gate became a major symbol of the #EndSARS movement following the events of October 20, 2020, when soldiers opened fire on protesters during demonstrations against police brutality.
The protests were driven by demands for the disbandment of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which had faced widespread allegations of extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings.
Although the Federal Government announced the dissolution of SARS in October 2020, demands for justice, accountability and comprehensive police reforms have continued.
The latest incident has renewed attention on the handling of memorial gatherings at the toll gate, where previous anniversary commemorations have also been disrupted by security operatives.
Six years after the #EndSARS protests, activists and other Nigerians continue to demand accountability for the violence associated with the demonstrations and the implementation of reforms aimed at preventing police abuses.
