Prominent activist and human rights advocate Aisha Yesufu has strongly criticised the Nigerian government, saying it “behaved like a terrorist” during the 2020 EndSARS protests, when security operatives allegedly opened fire on unarmed demonstrators.
Speaking during an interview on Prime Time, a programme aired on Arise Television, Yesufu reflected on the tragic events as Nigerians marked the fifth anniversary of the EndSARS protests.
The co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement described the October 20, 2020, incident at the Lekki Toll Gate as a dark and heartbreaking moment in Nigeria’s history. She recalled how security personnel, instead of protecting peaceful protesters, turned their weapons on citizens who were chanting the national anthem and waving the Nigerian flag.
“The protest didn’t die down — it was killed off,” Yesufu said. “We saw military officers who should be protecting Nigerians decide to turn their guns on citizens. It’s such a painful memory. The government behaved like a terrorist government by killing its own citizens.”
Yesufu further noted that the incident confirmed long-standing fears among Nigerians that security agencies could act with impunity, stating that the lack of accountability since 2020 has deepened public mistrust.
The EndSARS movement, which began as a campaign against police brutality and human rights violations by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), grew into a nationwide call for justice and reform. However, the protests ended abruptly following the controversial military crackdown at the Lekki Toll Gate.
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