On Sunday, October 20, 2024, Nigerian police arrested over 18 protesters who gathered at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests. The protesters were marking the tragic event of October 20, 2020, when soldiers allegedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, leading to the loss of lives and widespread outrage against police brutality and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The police used tear gas and gunfire to disperse the crowd, leading to the arrest of several participants. Among those arrested were notable figures such as Hassan Taiwo Soweto, the National Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign, and other members of the #EndBadGovernance Movement Lagos.
The arrested individuals were reportedly beaten and then taken away in a Black Maria van. They were later moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID) at Panti in the Yaba area of Lagos. The police actions have been widely condemned, with calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested protesters.
The #EndSARS movement, which began in 2020, aimed to end police brutality and disband SARS. Despite the disbandment of SARS, the Lekki Tollgate has remained a symbolic site for protests against police brutality and bad governance.
