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| EndSars. |
Five years after the #EndSARS protests that triggered nationwide demands for police reform and accountability, Nigerian lawyers are reflecting on the movement’s impact, its legacy, and the progress made in governance, justice, and human rights.
As the fifth anniversary is marked, legal professionals have shared their views on the extent of progress achieved and the challenges that still remain.
While acknowledging the importance of the protests in awakening civic awareness, they stressed the continued need for deep institutional reform, respect for judicial rulings, and genuine justice for victims.
Former Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kunle Edun, SAN, described #EndSARS as “a dark page in Nigeria’s history,” representing the government’s disregard for human life and the rule of law.
He said: “The courts gave judgments awarding damages to victims, yet the government ignored them. Disrespect for judgments is an invitation to anarchy — not even a million soldiers can stop it.”
Edun accused Attorneys-General and lawmakers of working with governors to flout court orders, saying, “We only have civilian rule, not democracy.”
He urged the judiciary to ensure enforcement of its decisions and advocated for state policing to curb abuse and impunity.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju attributed the lack of accountability following #EndSARS to Nigeria’s “systemic culture of impunity” and continuous executive interference.
“Implementation of judicial panel recommendations depends on political will and budgetary approval, both of which are lacking,” he said.
He added that although ECOWAS Court decisions are legally binding, they lack enforcement power. “Compliance relies on good faith and civil pressure,” he stated.
NBA representative on the Lagos Judicial Panel, Amanda Demechi-Asagba, maintained that victims of the #EndSARS protests deserve genuine restitution rather than empty promises.
She said, “The panels made clear findings, but implementation has stalled. Victims deserve justice, compensation, restitution, and not rhetoric.”
She urged the Nigerian government to show true dedication to reform. “The police must be restructured to prioritise human rights and rebuild community trust,” she said, warning that failure to act could provoke future unrest.
Ayo Ademiluyi, one of the lawyers representing victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting, argued that true accountability will remain out of reach as long as the same political class responsible for the tragedy remains in power.
“The Lagos Judicial Panel’s findings were nullified by a unilateral White Paper. No victim can get real justice under this current political class because they enabled the injustice perpetrated five years ago on innocent youth calling for change,” he said.
Ademiluyi called for urgent reform in police welfare and operations, saying, “Nothing has changed in five years. We must overhaul police working conditions and pensions. Only then can reforms be meaningful.”
Five years later, #EndSARS stands as both a historical event and an ongoing struggle. It is history because it reshaped Nigeria’s civic consciousness, proving that citizens can unite in mass solidarity against injustice.
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