EndSARS Anniversary: Police Fire Tear Gas as Memorial at Lekki Tollgate Is Disrupted

A memorial event held at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos on Tuesday to honour victims of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests was disrupted after police officers fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The incident affected residents, journalists, activists and political figures who had assembled at the location to commemorate those who lost their lives during the protests. Among those caught up in the police action were Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), both governorship candidates in Lagos State.

Organised by the Enough is Enough movement, the gathering was intended to pay tribute to the victims of the #EndSARS demonstrations and reflect on the nationwide protests against police brutality.

The ceremony was interrupted before attendees could carry out the planned wreath-laying exercise, as police officers stationed at the venue discharged tear gas canisters to disperse participants.

The deployment of tear gas caused panic at the scene, forcing people to scramble for safety as the gas spread throughout the vicinity. Participants subsequently fled the area, preventing the memorial activities from proceeding as planned.

The #EndSARS protests erupted in October 2020, drawing nationwide attention to allegations of police brutality, especially against young Nigerians. The Lekki tollgate emerged as a major protest site and has continued to serve as a gathering point for commemorations and demands for justice and police reforms.

The annual memorial activities are intended to preserve the memory of those affected by the protests and sustain calls for accountability over the events of October 2020.

However, Tuesday’s police intervention halted the planned tribute before participants could lay wreaths in remembrance of the victims.

The Lagos State Police Command had not issued an explanation for the use of tear gas as of the time this report was filed.

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