ActionAid Nigeria has demanded an immediate investigation into the use of tear gas by police against citizens commemorating the sixth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, warning that the incident raises fresh concerns about police accountability and respect for fundamental rights.
The organisation said the disruption of a peaceful memorial gathering on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, showed that concerns which triggered the 2020 protests over police brutality remained unresolved.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, ActionAid Nigeria condemned the deployment of tear gas against participants, including activists, journalists and other Nigerians who gathered to remember those who died during the protests.
The gathering included a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of victims of the demonstrations, which began as a nationwide campaign against abuses by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said it was unacceptable that Nigerians seeking to honour the dead and demand justice could be subjected to intimidation by the police six years after the protests.
“We cannot afford a repeat of what happened in October 2020. The painful memories of #EndSARS are still fresh, and the wounds of families who lost loved ones have not healed,” Mamedu said.
He added that citizens gathering peacefully to remember the dead should not face attacks from the institution they had called upon to reform.
Mamedu said the responsibility of the police was to protect lives, uphold the Constitution and safeguard citizens’ rights, rather than suppress legitimate civic expression.
The organisation expressed solidarity with survivors of the #EndSARS protests and families of victims, insisting that their demands for truth, justice and accountability remained legitimate.
It said October 20 remained a painful date for families still seeking answers over the deaths of their relatives, adding that the freedom to mourn and demand justice without fear was the least the Nigerian state owed them.
“For the families who lost their sons, daughters, brothers and sisters during #EndSARS, October 20 is not just another date on the calendar. It is a painful reminder of lives cut short and questions still awaiting answers,” Mamedu said.
He warned that a democratic society could not credibly claim to respect human rights while using force to silence peaceful citizens.
ActionAid Nigeria called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to investigate the incident, explain publicly the circumstances surrounding the deployment of tear gas and ensure that officers found responsible for unlawful or disproportionate force were held accountable.
It also urged the Federal Government and relevant authorities to fully implement outstanding recommendations of judicial panels of inquiry established after the 2020 protests.
The recommendations, according to the organisation, should include accountability for established human rights violations, appropriate reparations for victims and their families, and safeguards to prevent future abuses.
The #EndSARS protests erupted in October 2020 as thousands of young Nigerians took to the streets to demand the disbandment of SARS, a police unit accused of profiling, extortion, torture, arbitrary arrests and other abuses. What began as a campaign against police brutality expanded into a nationwide call for police reform, justice and greater government accountability.
The Lekki Toll Gate became a focal point of the movement, with protesters holding a prolonged, largely peaceful sit-in before security forces opened fire on demonstrators on October 20, 2020. Amnesty International reported that at least 12 people were killed at Lekki and Alausa that day, while the Lagos State judicial panel of inquiry later found that security forces had shot, injured and killed unarmed protesters at Lekki. The findings and the circumstances of the incident became the subject of public controversy.
The Lagos State Government established a judicial panel to investigate allegations of police brutality and the Lekki incident. The panel received victims’ complaints, examined evidence and made recommendations, including measures to address abuses and provide redress. However, rights groups have continued to raise concerns about accountability for abuses committed during the protests and the implementation of recommendations.
Against this background, ActionAid further warned that the latest incident carried implications for the protection of civic freedoms as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
It said security agencies must demonstrate political neutrality, professionalism and respect for constitutional rights in their dealings with citizens.
“The right to peaceful protest, assembly and freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution. It is not a privilege to be granted or withdrawn at the discretion of security agencies,” the organisation said.
It urged the government to demonstrate through concrete action that the lessons of October 2020 had not been forgotten, stressing that the memory of those who died must be honoured through justice and meaningful police reforms rather than further intimidation.
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