#EndSARS anniversary: Global Rights renews call for accountability, five years after Lekki Toll Gate shootings

Five years after the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State, rights group Global Rights has once again demanded justice and accountability for the victims of the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS massacre.

In a statement titled “Waiting for Accountability: 20.10.20 — Five Years On,” Abiodun Baiyewu, executive director of Global Rights, lamented that despite multiple judicial panels of inquiry set up to investigate the killings and police abuses, no one has been held accountable and most of the panel recommendations remain unimplemented.

Baiyewu described the continued lack of justice as “a deep wound on Nigeria’s democracy,” noting that trust between citizens and government has continued to erode.

“The tragic events of October 20, 2020, when armed security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters holding the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem, drove that deficit even deeper,” she said.

According to her, the #EndSARS movement was not only a protest against police brutality but a broader call for justice, accountability, and reform in governance.

“The protesters’ five demands — justice for victims, compensation for families, police oversight, reform, and better welfare for officers — remain largely unmet,” Baiyewu added.

The group expressed concern that the repression of peaceful dissent continues, citing the government’s handling of the #EndBadGovernance protests of 2024, where at least 30 protesters were reportedly killed and dozens detained, including minors accused of treason.

Global Rights warned that the misuse of laws such as the Cybercrime Act to target journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens undermines democratic freedoms and silences legitimate dissent.

“This practice erodes the foundation of democracy and sends a dangerous message — that freedom of expression exists only on paper,” the statement said.

The rights group restated its key demands to the Nigerian government, including call for Accountability, Reform, Respect for Rights and Civic Protection.

Read also: Police disperse #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow protesters with tear gas in Abuja

Baiyewu emphasised that protests are not a threat to democracy but a form of civic participation that can strengthen governance when properly managed.

“No government enjoys criticism — but strong democracies use it as feedback,” she said. “Nigeria must learn to listen to its citizens, not muzzle them.”

As Nigeria marks the fifth anniversary of the Lekki Toll Gate incident, Global Rights urged the government to demonstrate genuine commitment to justice and reform, warning that “justice delayed is democracy denied.”