Activists Demand Prosecution Over 2020 Lekki Tollgate Shootings

Six years after security forces opened fire on protesters at Lagos' Lekki Tollgate during Nigeria's October 2020 EndSARS demonstrations, the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) and political activist Omoyele Sowore are demanding criminal prosecutions, renewed investigations and accountability for those responsible.

The campaigners have called for investigations into the roles of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Chief of Army Staff General Tukur Buratai, police commanders and other officials. Their demands, reported by Sahara Reporters on October 19 and Daily Post on October 20, 2026, also include justice for victims and protection for survivors.

In a statement marking the anniversary, YRC criticized authorities for failing to translate findings from the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS-Related Abuses and Other Matters into meaningful criminal accountability.

The organization said the October 2020 demonstrations began as a campaign against police brutality, unlawful arrests, extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings before expanding to broader demands for good governance and improved living conditions.

"Young Nigerians took to the streets in October 2020 because they were tired of being profiled, extorted, tortured and killed by a police force that treats youth as criminals," the Youth Rights Campaign said.

YRC alleged that soldiers fired on unarmed demonstrators waving Nigerian flags and singing the national anthem at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020. It also called for scrutiny of allegations that floodlights were switched off and CCTV cameras removed before the shooting.

The group specifically named former Special Anti-Robbery Squad commanders James Nwafor and Dolapo Badmus among those it believes should face prosecution over allegations raised in testimonies and public petitions. It also demanded answers from Sanwo-Olu, Buratai and the management of the Lekki Concession Company.

YRC National Coordinator Michael Adaramoye and National Secretary Francis Nwapa signed the statement, which also alleged that survivors and witnesses had faced intimidation following the protests.

The organization cited the case of Kamsi Ibeh, whom it described as a coordinator of the Lekki Tollgate barricade, alleging that suspected state-backed thugs attacked her with machetes after months of being followed. It also said a protester identified as Patrick left Lagos after repeated harassment by officers at Maroko Police Station.

YRC further said Nigerian disc jockey and activist DJ Switch, whose livestream documented the Lekki shootings, remained in exile. The group called for protection for witnesses and survivors, along with safe returns for Nigerians who left the country because of threats linked to the demonstrations.

Marking the anniversary on X, Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, questioned why those responsible for the shootings had not faced prosecution.

"Where are the killers? Who ordered the shootings at LekkiTollGate? Who has been prosecuted?" Sowore wrote.

Sowore also called for investigations into the roles of Sanwo-Olu, military and police commanders, and other individuals he accused of being connected to the incident. He separately questioned the allegations concerning the removal of CCTV cameras before the shooting.

The activist said the EndSARS movement represented a broader revolt against police abuses rather than a campaign focused solely on disbanding the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. He pledged that, if elected in 2027, his administration would reopen the Lekki investigation, establish the chain of command and prosecute anyone found responsible, regardless of rank or political connections.

YRC also called for investigations into alleged abuses in other parts of Nigeria, including Rivers State, where it accused the administration of former governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, of ordering a military operation during unrest in Obigbo, also known as Oyigbo.

The group argued that the grievances behind the 2020 protests remained unresolved, pointing to continuing allegations of police extortion, arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial killings. It also criticized petrol subsidy removal and school fee increases, which it said had intensified financial pressure on young Nigerians and working-class families.

YRC cited Amnesty International's reported figure of at least 24 protesters killed by security forces during the August 2024 EndBadGovernance protests. It also recalled arrests involving activists, including Adaramoye, and minors charged with treason in connection with the demonstrations, saying sustained pressure contributed to their eventual release.

The campaign's demands include compensation for victims' families, medical care for injured survivors, public acknowledgment of responsibility, memorials for those killed and an official day of remembrance. It also called for the release of anyone still detained over the protests and measures to protect witnesses from further intimidation.

"The best honor to their memory is to continue the struggle which they died for," the Youth Rights Campaign said.