The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has ruled that Nigeria violated the human rights of Obianuju Udeh and two others, Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, during the peaceful protests at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.
The court on Wednesday, found Nigeria in breach of several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including the right to security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, prohibition of torture, and the right to effective remedy.
The court ordered Nigeria to pay each applicant N2 million as compensation and to investigate and prosecute its agents responsible for the violations.
The applicants alleged that during the protests against police harassment and brutality, soldiers shot protesters, resulting in deaths and injuries, and that they faced threats, surveillance, and inadequate hospital care.
Nigeria denied all claims, asserting that its agents followed strict rules of engagement and did not shoot or kill protesters.
The court found that Nigeria breached several articles of the African Charter, occasioning fundamental breaches of human rights violations, and ordered reparations to the applicants for the violation of their fundamental human rights.
In October 2020, tens of thousands of young Nigerians flooded the streets in protest against police brutality, ignited by a viral video allegedly showing the killing of a man by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). These demonstrations, known as the #EndSARS movement, reverberated across the nation for two weeks, garnering widespread global sympathy and support.
World leaders including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed solidarity via social media.
Prominent figures like former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President-elect Joe Biden, boxing champion Anthony Joshua, Arsenal footballer Mesut Ozil, and rapper Kanye West either supported the protests directly or demanded an end to government crackdowns on demonstrators. The hashtag #EndSARS dominated global Twitter trends, with former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey even launching a special emoji for the movement.
Under pressure, the Nigerian government disbanded SARS and instituted judicial panels to probe the alleged abuses by its officers.
Despite these steps, concerns persist regarding accountability and justice for victims of SARS brutality. Reports indicate that many peaceful #EndSARS protesters faced torture and mistreatment while in detention.
As of October 2023, at least 15 protesters remain incarcerated in Lagos jails, and there has been little visible justice for those who lost their lives during the protests. Amnesty International reported at least 12 deaths linked to the #EndSARS demonstrations.
The #EndSARS movement has catalyzed youth protests and movements across Africa, including ongoing demonstrations in Kenya, signaling its enduring impact on activism across the continent.