By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
Six years after the Lekki Toll Gate shootings, justice remains at the centre of the #EndSARS controversy, with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) demanding prosecutions, compensation for victims and a public apology from the Federal and Lagos State Governments.
In a statement dated October 19, 2026, signed by Robert Egbe, Media and Communications Officer of CAPPA, the organisation urged political parties to make police accountability a priority ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that victims must not be left waiting indefinitely for justice.
The #EndSARS protests erupted in October 2020 over police brutality, particularly abuses linked to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The movement’s demands for reform were overshadowed by the deadly Lekki crackdown on October 20, which remains a flashpoint in the debate over police violence and government accountability.
CAPPA is demanding action on the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry’s report, which described the Lekki incident as a “massacre in context” and implicated the military and police in deaths and serious injuries. The group criticised government responses that disputed or rejected the panel’s findings.
The organisation is also pressing Nigeria to implement a July 2024 judgment of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, which found the country liable for violating protesters’ fundamental rights and ordered compensation and fresh investigations. CAPPA wants the government to disclose its progress in complying with the ruling.
The demand for justice extends to journalist Pelumi Onifade, who was 20 when he was arrested by Lagos State Task Force personnel while covering protest-related events and later died. CAPPA cited an autopsy confirming a fatal gunshot wound to his lower torso and called for the prosecution of those responsible.
The group warned that allegations of police brutality remain a concern, citing the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests and reported abuses at Tiger Base, a police unit in Imo State. It said the response to peaceful demonstrations must change if Nigerians are to exercise their rights without fear of violence or arbitrary arrest.
CAPPA also cautioned that state police could reproduce existing abuses unless authorities first tackle impunity. It called for mandatory body-worn cameras, independent investigations into misconduct and criminal prosecution of officers where evidence establishes wrongdoing.
Beyond prosecutions, the organisation wants a national reparations programme, outstanding compensation paid, and medical and psychological support provided to survivors. It also called for charges against people prosecuted solely for peaceful protests to be dropped and Lekki Toll Gate to become a national historic memorial, insisting that six years after the shootings, accountability must translate into action.