Among those affected by the incident today Tuesday, October 20, 2026, were Lagos State governorship candidates Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The gathering was organised by the Enough is Enough (EiE) movement to honour victims of the 2020 protests against police brutality and remember those who lost their lives during the demonstrations.
According to reports, the memorial was disrupted before participants could complete a planned wreath-laying ceremony, as police officers deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Footage from the scene showed participants scrambling for safety as the tear gas spread across the toll gate. Doherty was also seen struggling amid the effects of the gas, with members of her team assisting her.
The incident has drawn attention to the continued tensions surrounding public gatherings at the Lekki Toll Gate on the anniversary of the protests.
The toll gate became a focal point of the #EndSARS movement in October 2020, when young Nigerians took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality, harassment and extortion, particularly abuses associated with the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
On October 20, 2020, soldiers opened fire on protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, leaving an incident that remains central to national discussions about accountability and police reform.
Six years later, activists continue to demand justice for victims, accountability for abuses and the implementation of recommendations made by judicial panels established after the protests.
The latest disruption has renewed concerns about citizens’ right to peaceful assembly and the ability of Nigerians to commemorate the victims without being dispersed by security operatives.
