EndSARS At Six The Echoes, The Anger And The Unfinished Quest For Justice

EndSARS at Six The Echoes, the Anger and the Unfinished Quest for Justice Six years after the EndSARS protests shook Nigeria and brought national attention to allegations of police brutality and excessive use of force, the demand for justice remains unresolved for victims and their families. The anniversary has renewed attention to the human cost of the October 2020 demonstrations, particularly the events at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where protesters were reportedly shot at by security personnel. For many affected families, the search for answers, accountability and closure continues.

The experience of Gabriel Eluojierio, whose account illustrates how the events of October 20, 2020, allegedly set off a chain of personal tragedies that continue to affect him years later. Gabriel, 46, told the newspaper that he travelled from Turkey to Nigeria on October 14, 2020, and was staying at a hotel in Ajah, Lagos, when the EndSARS demonstrations were taking place. On October 20, he and his friend, Bright, travelled to the Lekki Toll Gate to join the protest. According to Gabriel’s account, the demonstration was peaceful before soldiers arrived at about 7 p.m. He said protesters at the front of the gathering went down on their knees and sang the national anthem as the soldiers approached. Gabriel and Bright, sensing that the situation could deteriorate, moved away from the frontline. Gabriel alleged that the lights at the toll gate went off shortly after the soldiers arrived and that gunfire followed, causing protesters to flee in different directions. In the ensuing chaos, he said Bright was struck and fell. Gabriel continued running in an attempt to escape and eventually lost consciousness after falling and being trampled by people in the crowd. He regained consciousness the following morning at a general hospital on Lagos Island, where he found himself among other injured people. He said he had bruises on his legs and a bandage around his head. When he recovered sufficiently to move around, Gabriel searched the hospital for Bright but could not find him. He also discovered that his phone was missing.

After leaving the hospital, he obtained another phone and tried repeatedly to contact his friend, but Bright’s number remained switched off. Gabriel said he reported the incident to the police and gave a statement, hoping that an investigation would establish what had happened to his friend. The ordeal, according to Gabriel, extended beyond the Lekki incident. He said his family in Irrua, Edo State, informed Bright’s relatives about what had happened. Gabriel later contacted Bright’s brother to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident, but said the family demanded that Bright be returned home within three days. Gabriel alleged that the situation escalated after the family was unable to establish Bright’s whereabouts. On October 26, 2020, he received a call informing him that his 95-year-old father had died after the family house in Irrua was attacked and set ablaze. According to his account, the attack was carried out by a mob allegedly led by Bright’s brothers. He said the police were informed, arrests were made and he was subsequently invited to the community to give an account of the events in Lagos. Gabriel arrived in Irrua on October 27 and gave a statement to the police. He said an investigating police officer advised him to remain available to assist the investigation but to stay away from the community while the authorities worked to restore order. He further alleged that members of his family and their properties in Edo State were attacked on several occasions after the incident, forcing him to relocate his family repeatedly for safety. The allegations concerning the attack on his father’s home and the subsequent threats form part of Gabriel’s personal account Gabriel said he and his family have continued to live with fear and uncertainty, while investigations have failed, in his view, to provide the answers they need. He said he has been unable to return to the place he once called home because of continuing concerns for his safety. The whereabouts of Bright remain a central source of anguish in his account. Gabriel said he has not been able to establish what happened to his friend or locate his remains. His experience reflects the broader concerns raised by families who say they are still waiting for clarity over deaths, disappearances and alleged abuses associated with the 2020 protests. For those families, the passage of time has not necessarily brought closure. The absence of definitive answers can prolong grief and deepen mistrust in the institutions expected to investigate allegations and protect citizens. The EndSARS protests began as a nationwide movement against alleged police brutality, particularly abuses associated with the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Demonstrators also demanded police accountability, respect for human rights and reforms to law enforcement. The Lekki Toll Gate incident became one of the most prominent and contested episodes of the protests. Questions surrounding the use of force, casualties and responsibility have remained part of public debate. Six years on, calls for justice continue to focus on transparent investigations, accountability where wrongdoing is established, compensation for victims and support for families dealing with lasting physical, financial and emotional consequences. For Gabriel, the anniversary is not simply a reminder of a protest that took place in 2020. It is also a reminder of his missing friend, his father’s death, the destruction of his family home and the insecurity he says has shaped his life since that night. As Nigeria marks six years since the EndSARS protests, his account underscores the continuing human consequences of the events and the importance of credible investigations that can establish facts, address alleged abuses and provide affected families with answers.