Five years after Nigerian soldiers opened fire on peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki tollgate, survivors like shooting victim Agbeze Ifeanyi Matthew say justice and proper medical support remain out of reach despite government promises.
A survivor of the 2020 Lekki tollgate shooting says justice remains elusive five years after soldiers opened fire on unarmed #EndSARS protesters in Lagos.
On October 20, 2020, content creator Agbeze Ifeanyi Matthew joined hundreds of demonstrators waving Nigerian flags and singing the national anthem when army officers allegedly began shooting into the crowd. “I had lost a lot of blood… I thought I was going to die,” he recalled, after being struck in the chest and rushed to hospital.
Authorities initially denied the attack, with former Information Minister Lai Mohammed dismissing it as a “phantom massacre.” However, a judicial panel later found the military culpable. While Lagos state has paid compensation to some victims, many, including Matthew, say they received no long-term support.
Matthew still lives in severe pain, unable to afford corrective surgery. He also lost his job and father in the aftermath. “I thank God for my life,” he said, “even though I am still in pain and have no money to go for the surgery.”
His story mirrors others across Nigeria, where bereaved families say no one has been prosecuted. Human Rights Watch researcher Anietie Ewang said the failure to secure justice reflects “the impunity within which Nigeria’s security forces operate.” Policy analyst Adewunmi Emoruwa added that true justice requires both accountability and reform.
For survivors like Matthew, October remains a month of trauma rather than remembrance.