Protesters storm Lekki Tollgate for EndSARS memorial.
Protesters converged at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos on Friday to mark the third anniversary of the tragic events that unfolded on October 20, 2020, when unarmed demonstrators were killed by Nigerian Army and police officers.
Led by popular skit maker Adebowale Adebayo, better known as Mr Macaroni, this peaceful gathering took place despite a significant security presence. Among the security officials present was the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, who had previously cautioned against any assembly at the tollgate.
MC Macaroni, addressing the gathering, explained that the memorial walk aimed to pay tribute to the young lives lost. He noted, “We want to walk back, but the police don’t want us to walk back. We don’t want to give them a reason or an excuse to fire at us. We’ve been on this for three years now, and we know what they are capable of doing.”
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He called for the unconditional release of young individuals held in custody by security agencies since the events of October 2020. “There are still some protesters who have been in prison since 2020,” he emphasized. “Lawyers have been working on the cases, and there have been various calls for their release, but they are still incarcerated. We are using this walk to once again appeal to all relevant authorities to grant the unconditional release of all protesters still in prison.”
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The #EndSARS protests of 2020, which resonated throughout Nigeria, were aimed at ending extrajudicial killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police. Tragically, these protests culminated in the shooting of peaceful demonstrators shortly after Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a curfew.
Numerous sources, including statements from security personnel, verified that there were casualties on the night of the attack, as soldiers opened fire on protesters who were sitting on the ground, singing the national anthem, and waving the Nigerian flag.
Initially, the Nigerian Army denied their presence at the protest site, suggesting that videos and photos from the scene were “doctored.” However, they later acknowledged the presence of officers and maintained that shots were fired into the air solely to enforce the curfew.
The gathering at Lekki Tollgate serves as a poignant reminder of the events of October 20, 2020, and the determination of the protesters to seek justice and honor the memory of those who lost their lives.
