LAGOS, Nigeria (FN) — Five years after tens of thousands of young Nigerians took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality, the #EndSARS movement remains a powerful symbol of civic resistance — and a sobering reminder of justice delayed. As the country marks the anniversary of the 2020 protests, families of victims and human rights advocates say accountability remains out of reach.
The protests erupted in October 2020 after a viral video allegedly showed officers from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killing a man in Delta State. SARS, originally created to combat violent crime, had become synonymous with abuse. Young men were routinely profiled, extorted, and brutalized. The video sparked global outrage and galvanized a decentralized, youth-led movement demanding reform.
Demonstrations spread rapidly across Nigeria, from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt to Jos. Celebrities joined the cause, and grassroots organizers provided legal aid, medical support, and logistics. The Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos became the symbolic heart of the protests. On October 20, soldiers allegedly opened fire on unarmed demonstrators there, an incident widely referred to as the Lekki massacre. Authorities have disputed the characterization.
In the aftermath, violence flared. Police stations were torched, public buses destroyed, and government buildings attacked. While some of the destruction was blamed on criminal elements hijacking the protests, the scars remain visible. Judicial panels were set up in 29 states to investigate SARS abuses and protest-related violence. The Lagos panel concluded that soldiers killed civilians at Lekki and recommended compensation and prosecution.
Despite these findings, implementation has stalled. Some states paid partial compensation, but many victims remain uncompensated. Few officers named in reports have faced trial. Promised reforms — including community policing and oversight boards — have yet to materialize. International bodies, including the United Nations and ECOWAS Court, have urged Nigeria to act. In 2024, the ECOWAS Court ruled that Nigeria violated protesters’ rights and ordered reparations, but enforcement remains pending.
Legal experts say the lack of accountability stems from institutional resistance. Evan Ufeli, Executive Director of Cadrell Advocacy Centre, cited “weak political will, institutional cover-ups, and fear among witnesses” as key obstacles. “Panels make findings, but there’s no independent process to translate them into prosecutions,” he said. Ufeli emphasized that legal judgments require domestic implementation and diplomatic pressure to be effective.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju blamed Nigeria’s “systemic culture of impunity” and executive interference. “Implementation of judicial panel recommendations depends on political will and budgetary approval, both of which are lacking,” he said. Adeyanju called for structural reforms in policing, including human-rights-based training and respect for peaceful protest. “Ending police brutality requires political courage and respect for the rule of law,” he added.
Amanda Demechi-Asagba, the Nigerian Bar Association’s representative on the Lagos panel, said victims deserve more than rhetoric. “The panels made clear findings, but implementation has stalled. Victims deserve justice, compensation, restitution,” she said. She warned that failure to act could reignite public anger. “If the government continues to ignore its own panels and court orders, protests and legal challenges will continue.”
Ayo Ademiluyi, counsel to victims of the Lekki shooting, said accountability will remain elusive under the current political leadership. “The Lagos Judicial Panel’s findings were nullified by a unilateral White Paper. No victim can get real justice under this political class,” he said. Ademiluyi called for urgent reforms in police welfare and structure, arguing that meaningful change requires overhauling working conditions and pensions.
Five years on, #EndSARS is both history and unfinished business. It reshaped Nigeria’s civic landscape, proving that mass solidarity can challenge entrenched power. Yet the movement’s core demands — justice for victims, prosecution of perpetrators, deep police reform, and restoration of trust — remain unmet. Whether Nigeria responds with action or silence will shape how history remembers the voices that once cried, “Soro Soke — speak up.”
