Did The EndSARS Protest Achieve Its Purpose? Young Nigerians Share Different Opinions With Neusroom

“I was one of those who argued that the military did not open fire on peacefully seated protesters. But after gory images from the shooting began to emerge, I couldn’t take it. I went offline for five days,” Chinatu Nwankpa, who was based in Owerri during the October 2020 EndSARS protests, told Neusroom.

It’s been three years since the shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate, an incident that abruptly ended the demonstration against police brutality and extrajudicial killings, yet the trauma caused by the campaign continues for many Nigerians.

On October 20, 2023, the Nigerian army, armed with their rifles and patrol vehicles, arrived at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State, where peaceful EndSARS protesters were seated, many with the Nigerian flag and singing the nation’s anthem.

As videos from DJ Switch’s livestream showed, the protesters appeared to pose no immediate threat, not only to their surroundings but also to the uniformed men. Unprovoked, the military opened fire on the protesters. Disturbing pictures from the Toll Gate began to circulate on social media, depicting the Nigerian flag stained with blood and gunshot wounds on unarmed protesters.

“I was depressed and have long avoided talking about how I felt. I couldn’t believe that the Nigerian military opened fire on innocent people, but when it became obvious that they did, it’s been hard to erase the images of those killed from my mind,” Nwankpa narrated.

While the Lagos State Government initially denied that there were fatalities, an independent panel set up by the government described the incident that occurred at the Lekki Toll Gate as a ‘massacre.’ Ever since October 20 of every year has become a day when many remember those who lost their lives in the struggle to end police brutality.

Despite the loss of lives, there has been debate on whether the protest achieved its purpose, as extortion and extrajudicial killings by state actors in various parts of the country continue to persist.

In 2021, Amnesty International reported documenting at least 115 people killed by security forces in Southeast Nigeria between March and June.

For instance, Neusroom reported how on December 25, 2023, Barrister Bolanle Raheem, who was pregnant at the time, was shot dead by Drambi Vandi, a police officer who has now been sentenced to death by hanging by a Lagos High Court. Raheem is not the only Nigerian who has been killed by state actors post-EndSARS.

In August 2023, a policeman shot and killed Olafuro Peterside, a father of three who was in the company of his family in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

However, some believe that the EndSARS protest shed light on some of the excesses of the Nigerian police.

Precious Okiezie, a 300-level student at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, believes that the protest was not a complete failure.

“I don’t think it was a total failure. Even though police brutality continued, the EndSARS created significant awareness that shows Nigerians’ dissatisfaction with how police handle crime,” he said.

A survey by NOI Polls shows that despite EndSARS, 73 percent of Nigerians do not trust the personnel of the Nigerian Police.

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Another aspect that many have agreed upon is the increased political awareness the demonstration brought. It is often believed that the EndSARS protest helped raise the political awareness of Nigerian youths. During the campaign trail of the 2023 election, it was observed that the youths showed an unusual interest in the election, with 39.6 percent of those registered for voting being youth between the ages of 18 and 34. However, on February 25, 2023, the Presidential election turned out to be Nigeria’s lowest turnout since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

Port Harcourt-based Kingsley claimed the protest was a total failure and did not improve the dynamics of Nigerian politics.

“If it achieved anything, then Bola Tinubu wouldn’t be Nigeria’s president,” he said.

Bishop, who witnessed the protest in Enugu, demanded answers to some of the lingering questions from the protest.

“I don’t even want to talk about it. Till today, nobody knows who gave the order. If we can’t know who issued that order, then we are doomed.”

From who ordered the deployment of soldiers to the Lekki Toll Gate to who gave the order, and how many people were killed, several unanswered questions remain.

“I don’t believe it has yet achieved the intended goal. There is still extortion. Youths are still being harassed by the police,” Chinatu said. He added, “However, I can say we are more aware than we were three years ago and beyond.”