Security operatives, including soldiers from the nearby 81st Division, arrested no fewer than 17 protesters at Lekki Toll Gate on Sunday as they gathered to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the Lekki Massacre.
The protesters had assembled to remember the events of October 2020, when peaceful demonstrators demanding an end to police brutality under the #EndSARS movement were killed at the same location.
Eyewitnesses reported that the security presence was heavy from the early hours of Sunday, with soldiers and police officers taking strategic positions around the toll gate.
Tensions rose when a civil rights activist, who was being interviewed by the media, condemned the overwhelming security presence. The activist, speaking about the importance of peaceful protest and the need to respect fundamental rights, was abruptly arrested mid-interview by a police officer who had been standing by. Despite being placed into a Lagos State task force van, the activist continued to speak out against the arrest, highlighting the breach of his rights.
Despite the arrests, some of the detained individuals remained defiant, vowing to continue their protests in detention and calling for justice for those killed in 2020.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Idowu, arrived at the scene but declined to address the press, remaining in his official vehicle, surrounded by officers.
His silence, coupled with the arrests, has fueled further criticism of the government’s handling of peaceful protests and its failure to address police reforms since the #EndSARS movement.
The #EndSARS protests, which began in October 2020, saw thousands of Nigerians taking to the streets to call for an end to police brutality, specifically targeting the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Lekki Toll Gate became a focal point of the protests after soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters, an incident that sparked global outrage and calls for accountability.
Four years on, the memory of the Lekki Massacre remains fresh for many Nigerians, with calls for justice and reform continuing to echo across the country.
The latest arrests have only intensified these calls, raising concerns about the ongoing restriction of peaceful assembly and free speech in Nigeria.