Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have fired teargas to disperse protesters rallying to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.
On Sunday morning, videos showed demonstrators running as police fired bullets.
Around 8:30 a.m., the protestors gathered at the toll gate, holding multiple banners and placards calling for the complete implementation of the reports provided by several judicial panels of inquiry established following the 2020 protests.
In October 2020, thousands of young people gathered in major cities around the country to protest the ongoing harassment, killings, and extortion by officers from the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a Nigerian police squad.
The demonstration culminated at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where several youths were reportedly murdered and many others seriously injured as a result of the Nigerian military’s action.
In the aftermath of the protests, judicial panels were formed in several states to analyse and review the protestors’ demands.
However, nearly four years later, protest organisers have expressed their deep sadness that many of the panels’ recommendations have yet to be followed.
Speaking on Sunday, one of the protestors, identified only as Excel, said he fell into the gutter while fleeing the authorities’ teargas.
“They’ve started firing tear gas at us. “I fell into the gutter and was hit on the head,” he told reporters.
Another protester, Bayo Are, stated, “I was also hit. I’m not really hurt; only a few scratches on my body. Some individuals have also been arrested.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, indicated that there was no altercation, but the police had to evacuate the demonstrators to avoid traffic disturbance at the Lekki Toll Gate.
“They were told to disperse, but they were adamant; we had to use minimal force to disperse them,” Hundeyin said.
