Mon Oct 20 16:09:10 UTC 2025: Summary:
This article details the unfulfilled promises of justice and compensation to victims and families affected by the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, particularly focusing on the Lekki massacre in Lagos and the death of Jimoh Isiaka in Ogbomoso. Survivors recount their experiences of being shot by security forces and the enduring physical and emotional pain they suffer. While some financial compensation has been provided, many victims and families have not received the promised support, and those responsible for the violence have not been held accountable. The lack of justice has eroded public trust in the government and the justice system, perpetuating a cycle of impunity within the security forces. The article highlights the systemic failures and lack of political will to address the grievances of the #EndSARS movement, leaving victims in a state of perpetual pain and disillusionment.
News Article:
#EndSARS Victims and Families Still Awaiting Justice Five Years Later
Lagos, Nigeria – Five years after the #EndSARS protests rocked Nigeria, victims and their families say that the promises of accountability and compensation from the government have largely gone unfulfilled. The protests, which began as a call to disband the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and reform the police force, were met with violence, most notably at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos on October 20, 2020, where security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters.
Agbeze Ifeanyi Matthew, a protester shot at Lekki, survived but still suffers from injuries. “I am still in pain and have no money to go for the surgery,” he said.
Similar stories of unfulfilled promises are repeated across the country. In Ogbomoso, the family of Jimoh Isiaka, the first person killed during the protests, mourns the loss of their son, with no compensation or justice served. His father, Jimoh Atanda, said: “There is nothing they can do for us that will be equivalent to our dead son. But, we want them to do what is right.”
Human Rights Watch and other organizations criticize the Nigerian government for a lack of accountability and a justice system that fails to hold security forces responsible. Despite the establishment of panels of inquiry and some financial compensation, no one has been charged in court for the deaths and injuries inflicted during the protests.
The absence of justice is eroding public faith in the government and the rule of law, making it difficult for the nation to heal from the traumatic events of the #EndSARS protests.
First Piper 