ABUJA, Nigeria — Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has commemorated the sixth anniversary of the October 20, 2020, Lekki Toll Gate shootings, urging Nigerians not to forget the victims of the #EndSARS protests.
In a statement shared on his X account on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Obi described the anniversary as a painful reminder of the sacrifices made by Nigerian youths in their demand for a better country.
He recalled that peaceful protesters were met with gunfire at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on the night of October 20, 2020, leaving people dead and others injured.
Obi said the incident left lingering questions about justice, accountability and respect for human life.
“We must never forget. We must never normalise injustice,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor reaffirmed his belief that a better Nigeria is possible, calling for a country where citizens are protected rather than brutalised, young people are heard rather than silenced, and government power is exercised responsibly and with respect for human rights.
He also stressed that no Nigerian should be punished for demanding good governance and a better future.
As he paid tribute to those who lost their lives, Obi expressed hope that their sacrifice would strengthen the resolve to build a country where such a tragedy would never happen again.
“May the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace,” he said.
The #EndSARS protests began in October 2020, as young Nigerians demonstrated against police brutality and called for reforms of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Lekki Toll Gate shootings on October 20 became one of the most significant and controversial episodes of the protests, prompting widespread calls for an investigation, accountability and police reform.
Obi concluded his message by reiterating his belief in the possibility of a new Nigeria where every life matters.
