Five years ago, Nigerian streets reverberated with the cries of frustrated youths demanding an end to police brutality under the banner of #EndSARS. Their chants, “EndSARS, End impunity!” echoed from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt to Jos, marking one of the most significant civic uprisings in the nation’s history.
Today, October 20, as Nigeria marks the 5th anniversary of the EndSARS protests, the movement remains a symbol of youthful defiance and civic awakening but also a haunting reminder of unfulfilled promises and delayed justice.
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The Spark That Lit a Movement
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), created in the 1990s to fight violent crime, had long become a symbol of oppression. Stories of harassment, extortion, torture, and killings filled Nigerian streets and social media. By October 2020, a viral video allegedly showing SARS officers killing a young man in Delta State became the final spark.
Within days, hashtags turned into marches. Tens of thousands of youths filled the streets, demanding not only the disbandment of SARS but a total overhaul of Nigeria’s policing system. What started as an online campaign evolved into a nationwide movement peaceful, coordinated, and powerful.
Leaderless but United
The EndSARS protests became a leaderless revolution. There was no central authority, yet it inspired collective discipline and solidarity.
Celebrities like Falz, Mr. Macaroni, Runtown, Tiwa Savage, and Burna Boy lent their voices and platforms, while grassroots organisers provided medical, legal, and logistical support. The Feminist Coalition played a key role in mobilising funds and ensuring transparency.
DJ Switch’s live-stream of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting on October 20, 2020, became the defining image of the movement watched by over 150,000 people worldwide. That night, soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters waving Nigerian flags and singing the national anthem.
Lekki Toll Gate: The Symbol and the Scar
The Lekki Toll Gate remains the most enduring symbol of the EndSARS struggle. Once a hub of civic hope, it became a site of bloodshed and controversy. The Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry later confirmed that soldiers shot and killed unarmed protesters, calling it a “massacre.”
Five years later, attempts to commercialise or reopen the toll gate without accountability have met fierce resistance, as activists insist that justice must precede reconciliation.
Justice on Paper, Silence in Practice
In the aftermath, judicial panels were established across 29 states to investigate abuses. The Lagos panel awarded compensation to victims and recommended prosecution of offending officers. The ECOWAS Court of Justice also ruled in 2024 that Nigeria violated the rights of Lekki protesters and ordered reparations.
Yet, five years later, implementation has been slow and selective. Many victims remain uncompensated, officers implicated in abuse remain in service, and promised reforms have yielded little tangible change.
Lawyers Speak: Why Justice Remains Elusive
Legal experts say the lack of political will and institutional integrity has crippled justice.
Kunle Edun, SAN, described #EndSARS as “a dark page in Nigeria’s history,” blaming government disregard for court judgments as “an invitation to anarchy.”
Evan Ufeli, Executive Director of Cadrell Advocacy Centre, cited “institutional cover-ups and weak political will” as major obstacles to justice.
Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, said the “culture of impunity” and lack of accountability remain entrenched.
Amanda Demechi-Asagba, a member of the Lagos Judicial Panel, stressed that victims deserve “restitution, not rhetoric.”
Ayo Ademiluyi, counsel to Lekki victims, warned that “no real justice can happen under the same political class that enabled the 2020 atrocities.”
Five Years Later: The Echo of “Soro Soke”
Five years on, the core demands of EndSARS: justice for victims, police reform, and protection of civil rights remain largely unmet.
While SARS has been disbanded, reports of police abuse persist under different names. Civic spaces remain under pressure, with memorial events frequently disrupted by security forces.
EndSARS changed Nigeria but not enough. It exposed state brutality, inspired global solidarity, and birthed a generation unafraid to demand accountability. Yet, until justice is served and reforms become reality, the movement’s cry, Soro Soke (speak up) will continue to echo as a challenge to power and a reminder of a promise still waiting to be fulfilled.
