By our Correspondents
TUE OCT 20 2026-theGBJournal| Police have fired tear gas at opposition politicians, activists and journalists gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, disrupting a gathering to honour those killed during the 2020 demonstrations against police brutality.
The incident on Tuesday came as Nigerians marked six years since the protests that drew international attention to allegations of police abuses and the deaths of demonstrators in Lagos.
It has renewed questions about the authorities’ response to peaceful assembly and the government’s handling of the events of 20 October 2020.
Among those caught up in the police action was Funsho Doherty, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, alongside other opposition figures and activists who had gathered to lay wreaths in memory of the victims.
The police action disrupted the remembrance exercise, leaving participants to contend with tear gas and a tense atmosphere. Journalists covering the event were also affected.
The gathering was intended to honour those who lost their lives during the #EndSARS protests, which began as a campaign against police brutality and the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The anniversary comes amid continuing controversy over the deaths and the conflicting accounts that followed the events at the Lekki Toll Gate.
On 20 October 2020, soldiers opened fire on protesters at the site, according to an investigation by Amnesty International, which reported that at least 12 people were killed at two locations in Lagos — Lekki and Alausa.
In its initial account, Amnesty International said evidence gathered from eyewitnesses, video footage and hospital reports indicated that the Nigerian military opened fire on peaceful protesters at Lekki between 18:45 and 21:00 local time.
The organisation said soldiers arrived at the Lekki protest ground at about 18:45 and opened fire without warning.
At Alausa, it reported that soldiers and police officers from the Rapid Response Squad attacked protesters at about 20:00, leaving at least two people dead and one critically injured.
Amnesty International also alleged that CCTV cameras at the Lekki Toll Gate had been dismantled to conceal evidence of the killings.
The Nigerian authorities disputed aspects of the allegations surrounding the incident.
The Lagos State Government’s accounts of the fatalities and the circumstances of the shooting also became a source of controversy, with public statements and subsequent investigations leaving questions over what happened that night.
The conflicting accounts, the reported deaths and the conduct of security forces have continued to shape public debate about accountability for the events of October 2020.
The annual gathering is both a memorial for those who died and a reminder of demands for police reform, justice and greater accountability from public institutions.
Peter Obi, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, has called on Nigerians to remember the victims and ensure that the events are not repeated.
In a statement marking the anniversary, he said:
As we remember the victims, I reaffirm my belief that a New Nigeria is possible—a country where citizens are protected, not brutalised; where young people are heard, not silenced; and where government power is exercised with responsibility and respect for human rights.
Nigeria must become a nation where no citizen is punished for demanding good governance and a better future.
May the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace. May their sacrifice strengthen our resolve to build a Nigeria where this tragedy will never be repeated.
The police action at Tuesday’s memorial has brought renewed attention to the right of Nigerians to gather peacefully and commemorate those who died during the protests.
Six years after the Lekki shooting, the anniversary remains a focal point for demands for justice, transparency and accountability over the events of 20 October 2020.
X-@theGBJournal|email:gbj@govbusinessjournal.com|govandbusinessj@gmail.com
