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The state administration, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disbursed over N100 million in compensation, despite previous denials of a massacre at the protest site.
A senior government official, speaking anonymously to Peoples Gazette on Monday, revealed that the compensation was paid in compliance with recommendations from the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution established to investigate SARS-related killings and the events at Lekki Tollgate.
According to the official, the state government’s actions were in line with the legal framework outlined by the panel, which recommended compensating victims and protest leaders.
“What we gave as compensation was even more than that [N100 million]; compensation is legal,” the official said.
He added that the disbursement was in response to injuries sustained by peaceful demonstrators during the protests.
This development comes after two prominent figures in the #EndSARS movement, Banke Oniru and Serah Ibrahim, claimed on social media that the government had offered N100 million to protest leaders and organisers.
However, the government official dismissed these claims as an attempt to reignite controversy, accusing the activists of referencing outdated information.
“If the government sees that you’re one of those leading the cause and offers money to help disburse to the victims, is that a shady thing?” the official asked, defending the state’s actions.
The #EndSARS protests, initially a movement against police brutality, particularly the abuses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), escalated into a national and international conversation following the Lekki Tollgate shootings.
On the night of October 20, 2020, protesters were met with force as soldiers opened fire on peaceful demonstrators who were singing the national anthem and waving the Nigerian flag.
Governor Sanwo-Olu initially denied that any deaths occurred at the protest, later revising his statement to acknowledge that two people were killed.
The Nigerian Army, after initially denying involvement, eventually admitted that officers were present at the scene but claimed they only fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd and enforce the curfew imposed by the state.
Further controversy erupted when chief pathologist, Dr. John Obafunwa, testified before the judicial panel in June 2021, revealing that autopsies conducted on 99 bodies from Lagos confirmed three deaths were linked to the Lekki Tollgate incident.
The Lagos State government’s compensation package follows mounting public pressure and scrutiny surrounding the events of October 2020, which continue to draw both local and international attention.
While the payments are seen as a significant step towards acknowledging the victims of the Lekki Tollgate shootings, questions remain about the transparency of the process and the full scope of casualties.
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