Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force reportedly fired shots and deployed tear gas on Sunday to disperse protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State.
NewsNGR reports that the demonstrators had gathered to honor the victims of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, which were held to protest police brutality.
Eyewitnesses said the peaceful procession was disrupted when police officers began firing into the air and using tear gas to disperse the crowd. Many of the protesters fled the scene, while at least two individuals were arrested.
A source confirmed the arrests to SaharaReporters, although the identities of those detained have not yet been disclosed. The police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident or the use of force during the memorial event.
The Lekki Tollgate is a significant site, as it was the location of the tragic shooting on October 20, 2020, when security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters.
In October 2020, thousands of Nigerian youths gathered in cities across the country to protest the harassment, killings, and extortion by officers of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian police. The protest culminated in the Lekki Tollgate tragedy, where several youths were allegedly killed, and many others injured following the military’s intervention.
In the aftermath, judicial panels were set up across various states to address the protesters’ grievances. Nearly four years later, protest leaders express frustration over the lack of implementation of many of the panels’ recommendations.