A memorial gathering to honour victims of the 2020 #EndSARS protests was disrupted on Tuesday after police officers fired teargas to disperse participants at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos State.
The gathering, organised by the Enough is Enough movement, was held to remember Nigerians who lost their lives during the protests against police brutality and to renew calls for accountability and police reforms.
Among those affected by the incident were Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State, and Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Both politicians had joined other participants to pay tribute to the victims.
According to a source familiar with the event, participants had arrived at the tollgate after laying a wreath at the location. However, the situation reportedly escalated as the crowd grew, prompting police officers to fire teargas and disperse the gathering.
Videos circulating online showed participants running for safety as teargas spread across the area. One video also captured a woman struggling to breathe after inhaling the substance as she was being assisted away from the scene.
No casualties were reported in connection with the incident, according to the report.
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A police source disclosed that officers had been deployed to the location on Monday evening ahead of the memorial. However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she had yet to receive official feedback on the officers’ assignment at the tollgate.
She stated that the police were still on the ground and that she was awaiting an official briefing.
The Lekki tollgate remains a significant symbol of the #EndSARS movement, which gained international attention in October 2020 following widespread allegations of police brutality, particularly involving the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The protests eventually led to the Federal Government’s dissolution of SARS and intensified public demands for accountability and comprehensive reforms within the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the October 20, 2020 incident, nine people were confirmed dead, while four others were listed as missing and presumed dead.
The latest disruption has once again drawn attention to the sensitive legacy of the #EndSARS protests and the continuing calls for justice, accountability and respect for citizens’ rights.
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