The 2020 #EndSARS victims’ memorial at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos was disrupted on Tuesday after police officers fired teargas to disperse participants gathered to honour those who died during the protests against police brutality.
Those affected included the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate, Funso Doherty.
The memorial, organised by the Enough is Enough movement, was part of activities marking the anniversary of the October 2020 protests.
A source familiar with the event said police officers began firing teargas as the number of participants increased after a wreath was laid at the tollgate.
Videos from the scene showed participants scrambling for safety, while some reportedly experienced breathing difficulties after inhaling the teargas.
No casualties were recorded, according to reports, while the police action forced participants to abandon the gathering.
The Lekki tollgate remains a symbolic site of the #EndSARS movement, which triggered nationwide and international calls for police accountability and reforms.
The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the October 20, 2020 incident identified nine people as dead and four others as missing and presumed dead.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she had yet to receive a briefing on the deployment of officers to the location.
