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Five years ago, streets across Nigeria shook with the chants of restless youths, their placards raised against police brutality and their voices echoing in unison: “EndSARS, End impunity!” From Lagos to Abuja, from Port Harcourt to Jos, young Nigerians confronted a system they believed had failed to protect them.

Today (October 20) as the 5th anniversary of the #EndSARS protests is marked, the movement remains both a milestone in civic awakening and a bitter reminder of how justice can be delayed, denied, or distorted.

This special report revisits the forces that birthed the protests, the faces that defined them, the sites scarred by violence, the judgments handed down by panels and courts and the long wait for justice by victims and their families.

The sparks

The story of #EndSARS is the story of accumulated frustration. For decades, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, originally created in the 1990s to combat violent crime, had become synonymous with abuse. Instead of protecting citizens, SARS operatives were accused of turning Nigerian streets into hunting grounds.

Their methods were crude and notorious: young men stopped for having dreadlocks, wearing earrings, or carrying laptops; phones were seized and combed for ‘evidence’; wallets emptied at gunpoint; parents forced to pay to release their children. Worse, allegations of torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances piled up with chilling regularity.

By 2020, these stories had reached a tipping point. Social media became the courtroom where the people presented their evidence — pictures of battered victims, videos of raids, and testimonies of humiliation. The final straw came in early October 2020, when a viral video allegedly showed SARS operatives killing a young man in Delta State. Within hours, hashtags calling for the abolition of SARS trended worldwide.

What began online spilled into the streets. In Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Benin City, and across Nigeria, thousands rallied in unprecedented numbers. It was not just about SARS; it was about dignity, accountability, and the right to live without fear of those meant to protect.

A leaderless revolution

EndSARS was famously described as a leaderless protest. There was no central committee, no political figure issuing directives. Yet, it produced visible faces and voices who rallied the masses.
Segun Awosanya, popularly known as Segalink, had long been a critic of police brutality and became an early reference point. Celebrities such as Falz (Folarin Falana), comedian and activist Mr. Macaroni (Debo Adedayo), and Runtown not only spoke but marched with protesters, lending star power to the streets. Others like Davido, Tiwa Savage, and Burna Boy used music and platforms to amplify the struggle.

Perhaps the most iconic was DJ Switch (Obianuju Udeh), who live-streamed the events of October 20, 2020, at Lekki Toll Gate to over 150,000 viewers on Instagram. Her footage, showing chaos as soldiers opened fire, turned her into an international whistleblower. But the fame came with threats, forcing her into exile.

Grassroots organisers — lawyers offering pro bono services, medics treating wounded protesters, and women coordinating the feminist coalition that funded logistics — kept the movement alive.
Five years later, their trajectories diverge. Some remain vocal in advocacy; others have returned to private lives. But the collective memory they built continues to animate debates about human rights and governance in Nigeria.

Monuments scarred

No place symbolises #EndSARS more than the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Once a bustling point of economic activity, it became ground zero of the protests. Protesters camped there, singing the national anthem under the flag and holding candlelight vigils for slain compatriots.

On October 20, 2020, the toll gate turned into a scene of blood and controversy. Lights went off, CCTV footage mysteriously failed, and soldiers opened fire. What followed has since been called the Lekki massacre by victims and “a disputed shooting” by authorities.

The toll gate itself suffered vandalism, its facilities damaged in the aftermath. Attempts to rebuild and reopen it sparked outrage, with activists arguing that commercial resumption without justice amounted to an erasure of memory. Several times, youths gathered there to lay wreaths, paint murals, or hold memorial concerts, only to be dispersed by security forces.

Elsewhere, police stations were razed in Lagos, Oyo, Anambra, and Edo. Public transport buses were torched. Government buildings, warehouses, and even private businesses suffered attacks, some hijacked by hoodlums exploiting the chaos. Rebuilding efforts have been uneven: some police stations reconstructed, others abandoned; some warehouses repaired, others left in ruins. The scars remain visible in many communities as daily reminders of a society still searching for closure.

Quest for justice

In response to the outcry, the Federal Government directed all states to set up judicial panels of inquiry into SARS abuses and protest-related violence. Over 29 states established panels, receiving thousands of petitions.

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution was the most prominent. After months of hearings, it concluded that soldiers shot and killed unarmed protesters at Lekki Toll Gate. The panel listed names of victims, recommended compensation, and urged prosecution of erring officers. Its report described the incident as a “massacre.”

Other state panels echoed similar findings: systematic abuse by SARS, gross violations of rights, and the urgent need for reform. They recommended monetary compensation, medical support, and, in some cases, public apologies.

Ado-Ekiti – Legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s growing debt burden, warning that the country’s economic reputation is deteriorating and discouraging foreign investment.

Babalola made the remarks over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti during the 2025 International Leadership Conference on Leadership, Governance, Sustainable Change, and Wealth Creation (2.0), jointly hosted by ABUAD, Nigeria Trinity Western University (TWU), Vancouver, Canada, and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development (CentreLSD).

Speaking at the conference themed “Shaping Transformational Leaders for a Changing World: Tackling Insecurity, Governance and Development”, the elder statesman described the theme as “most appropriate at this time of our development,” noting that Nigeria’s financial situation has become alarming.

Babalola lamented that the country’s worsening debt profile is undermining investor confidence, adding that the local financial sector is also feeling the strain. He cited complaints from banks that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been unable to honour government promissory notes.

He, therefore, called for urgent reforms and responsible fiscal management to restore economic stability, investor confidence, and sustainable development in Nigeria.

“The theme of this conference is most appropriate at this time of our development,” Babalola said. “Records show that Nigeria is now a big debtor country, with total public debt at N152.4 trillion, or $99.7 billion. Consequently, most foreign companies are reluctant to invest in this debtor nation. As I speak to you now, I know that our banks are complaining that the Central Bank is not honouring promissory notes issued by government, due to the Federal Government’s inability to pay because of its mounting debt.”

He also highlighted the constitutional mandate of government, noting, “The main function of a government is contained in Section 14 of the Constitution. It states that the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice. Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government derives all powers and authority. The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, and the participation of the people in governance shall be ensured.”

In a lecture titled: “Transformational Leadership in an Insecure and Disruptive Era: Building Ethical, Resilient and Impactful Leaders for Africa”, Otive Igbuzor, founding Executive Director of CentreLSD, identified transformational leadership as a critical tool to combat bad governance, corruption, unemployment, gender inequality, and environmental degradation in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Igbuzor noted that Nigeria and the continent need a new generation of leaders capable of challenging conventional approaches and promoting innovation. He explained that transformational leadership will enable governments to reward merit, integrity, and innovation, rather than mediocrity and patronage.

He further stressed that Nigeria must embrace the principles of ethical leadership, innovative education, institutional integrity, inclusive governance, and continental collaboration. Igbuzor urged the federal government to institutionalise leadership training across schools and universities, ensuring that leadership formation becomes as essential as literacy.

In her address, the Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, described the conference as timely, emphasising the vital importance of international, regional, and public-private partnerships in addressing challenges such as insecurity, hunger, poverty, infrastructural decay, and economic uncertainties.

Gunmen have raided a police station in Zonkwa town, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least two officers.

The incident, which occurred on Friday evening, left residents in a state of shock.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that immediately the attackers stormed the station located a few meters from Kamyim Hotel, Kurmin-Bi Zonkwa, they started shooting sporadically.

They were said to be attempting to free some suspected vandals earlier arrested in Kachia town.

“They believed that the suspects were being detained at the Zonkwa Police Station.”

“However, it was later gathered that the suspects were not being held at the station. But the havoc had already been done,” the witness who said he did not want to be quoted told Daily Trust.

A security source also confirmed the incident to Daily Trust but did not go into details.

In a video of the incident seen by our correspondent, two officers in uniform were seen lifeless on the floor.

A crowd later gathered at the scene, discussing the incident which further highlights the worsening security situation in the country.

Normalcy is said to have been restored in the town.

The Kaduna State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the attack as of the time of filing this report.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeks to restrain the pro-democracy convener and three others from leading the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for October 20, 2025.

In an ex parte application filed under case number FHC/ABJ/2202/2025 and moved by lawyer Wisdom Madaki on behalf of the government, the Federal Government requested an order to prevent Sowore and three others from participating in, organising, or promoting the protest, which demands the unconditional release of detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu.

However, Justice M.G. Umar of Federal High Court 5 refused to grant the government’s requested ex parte injunction.

Instead, the court directed that Sowore be formally put on notice and adjourned the matter to October 21, a day after the scheduled protest.

Sowore, known for his advocacy on civil rights and activism, has been at the forefront of several campaigns calling for the release of detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Sowore recently launched a campaign demanding the release of Kanu, rallying politicians and citizens alike, and expanding the movement to grassroots locations like markets.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, announced a protest march scheduled for October 20, 2025, aimed at pressuring the Nigerian government to release Kanu. He described the protest as a “historic” march to Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, starting at 7 a.m., and has been actively promoting it under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.

Sowore recently met with former President Goodluck Jonathan to seek his support. Jonathan acknowledged the urgency of resolving Kanu’s case and promised to discuss it with President Bola Tinubu.

Sowore also reached out to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among others, urging them to back the protest and support efforts toward Kanu’s release. Atiku also endorsed the campaign.

In recent statements, Sowore emphasised that the campaign would extend beyond political circles into markets and public spaces, aiming to mobilise ordinary Nigerians and raise awareness at the grassroots level.

The Bola Tinubu Presidency, through spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, recently criticised Sowore’s actions, accusing him of trying to incite disorder and undermine the rule of law. They reiterated that Kanu is facing treason charges and dismissed the protest as anarchistic.

Leading Islamic scholars and political leaders in Northern Nigeria have raised concerns over the worsening insecurity across the country, warning that Nigeria risks descending into chaos unless decisive action is taken.

Speaking at a special summit of Northern Ulamas in Kaduna, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmad Bamalli, said it was time for Muslim leaders to unite and address the growing misuse of social media and the rising insecurity threatening national peace.

The Sultan said. “This is the time to unite the Muslim Ummah. Our clerics must preach peace, tolerance, and national unity in line with Islamic teachings. Social media must also be regulated because it is increasingly being used to spread division and hatred.”

The leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, emphasised the need for closer collaboration between religious leaders and lawmakers to promote peace and good governance.“Security is everyone’s business,” Doguwa said. “We in the National Assembly will support any initiative that unites our people and upholds Islamic values.”

Senator Abdul’aziz Yari (Zamfara West) cautioned against placing all the blame for insecurity on the government, noting that the crisis began in Muslim-dominated communities before spreading across the country. He said “Insecurity started in Muslim-dominated areas. We can’t blame the government alone.

The solution lies in our hands — in unity, action, and honest dialogue. We’re sleeping in our rooms and expecting to become billionaires. It doesn’t work that way. We must face economic realities.”
On the spread of fake news and hate speech, Yari said: “Social media doesn’t spare anyone — rich or poor. We are all victims of its abuse. It’s time to regulate it and use it responsibly, as other nations do.”

Prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, called for dialogue among Islamic sects to address poverty and banditry, which he said were being exploited.
by external forces.

“Banditry is being fuelled by outsiders who covet our mineral wealth,” Gumi warned. “They use uneducated herders as pawns in a larger game. We must talk among ourselves and end it internally.”
He also advocated a review of laws on social media defamation without stifling free expression, stressing that the summit’s goal was national unity and reform, not confrontation.

The summit ended with a collective resolution to strengthen inter-sect cooperation, promote peaceful dialogue, and enhance religious leadership to tackle insecurity, disunity, and economic hardship across Northern Nigeria.

Promises renewed focus on tracing such flows to plug fiscal leakages

•Upgrades Nigeria’s 2025 economic growth forecast to 3.9%
•Cites stronger domestic fundamentals
•Calls for credible fiscal, monetary policies
•Downgrades global economic growth forecast to 2.8%


The International Monetary Fund, IMF, has decried Illicit Financial Flows, IFFs out of Nigeria, noting that it was contributing to the worsening revenue problem of the country.

The Managing Director of the global institution, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, who stated this at the ongoing 2025 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC, promised renewed focus on tracing such flows to plug fiscal leakages.

She said: “We believe that for countries like Nigeria, the IMF’s renewed focus on tracing Illicit Financial Flows could provide a blueprint for plugging the fiscal leakages that have long undermined revenue generation and sustainable growth”.

Georgieva warned of the growing threat of illicit financial flows, IFFs, phenomenon which, she said, had become a major factor undermining the economic and financial stability of nations across the globe.

According to her, illicit financial flows which include stolen public funds, proceeds from criminal activities, and untraceable digital transactions, continue to erode governance systems, drain public resources, and cripple developmental efforts, especially in developing economies.

In a recent policy briefing, IMF officials had noted that IFFs now come in “multiple dimensions.” These range from outright embezzlement of taxpayers’ money to private funds channeled into illegal ventures that threaten national welfare.

The digital economy, they added, had further complicated the challenge with cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, providing an avenue for anonymous financial transactions.

The IMF boss said:”You may have money, just plainly stolen money that belongs to the taxpayers. You may have private money directed for criminal activities undermining the welfare of citizens.

“Now with digital money, criminal activities can be funded without being traced. This is a serious problem, and we have to take it as such.”

In response, the IMF disclosed that it had strengthened its Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism, AML/CFT, framework, following a comprehensive review in 2023.

She said: “Following the money has now become a compulsory part of the IMF’s annual Article IV consultations — the standard economic health check for member countries.

‘’This ensures that the fund routinely assesses each nation’s exposure to illicit flows and financial integrity risks.”

The MD added that the IMF was embedding lessons from past experiences into its financial sector evaluation tools to better trace illicit transactions and vulnerabilities.

In addition, she said for countries seeking IMF financial assistance, any program design would now include specific measures to address the problem of illicit flows, particularly where such challenges are deemed systemic.

Ms. Georgieva also said the Fund was supporting member countries through technical assistance and training to enable local authorities detect, trace and respond effectively to suspicious financial activities.

“We need to train country authorities so they can trace illicit financial flows, be more alert, and act quickly. Digital tools help in tracking money, but they also create new avenues for evading oversight,’’ she added.

Governance and the way forward
The MD emphasised that curbing illicit financial flows goes beyond financial systems to the very core of governance and institutional integrity.

She said through its Governance Diagnostics initiative, the Fund was helping countries identify structural weaknesses that allowed corruption and financial crimes to thrive.

“The governance diagnostic is not an audit, it is about identifying vulnerabilities in the institutional setup, the breeding grounds for problems and proposing reforms to address them,” the IMF boss said.

She encouraged greater collaboration among government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners in tackling the menace.

Her words: “We ask our teams to engage with civil society and non-government institutions because they often know where the vulnerabilities lie. Working together, we can build trust and achieve more.”

She commended ongoing partnerships with countries, such as Sri Lanka and Kenya, which have embraced collaborative frameworks to combat financial crimes while strengthening governance structures.

Meanwhile, the IMF has revised Nigeria’s economic growth outlook upward to 3.9 per cent, citing stronger domestic fundamentals and improving investor confidence, as well as moderated impact of global tariff war.

The outlook represents a 0.5 percentage point increase from the IMF’s July 2025 update and nearly 1 percentage point higher than earlier April forecasts.

Disclosing this in its October 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) titled “Global Economy in Flux”, the IMF projected that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by 3.9 percent in 2025, slightly lower than the 4.1 percent recorded in 2024, but expected to accelerate to 4.2 percent in 2026.

Similarly, the IMF upgraded its forecast for Sub Saharan Africa economic growth to 4.1 per cent and 4.2 per cent in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

However, the IMF revised downward its global economic growth forecast to 2.8 per cent, representing 0.2 percentage points from 3.0 per cent earlier forecast in the April 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO).

Nigeria

It attributed Nigeria’s growth resilience to higher oil production, a more supportive fiscal stance, and improving investor sentiment. The report noted that reforms in the energy and financial sectors have begun to attract renewed capital inflows, while exchange rate adjustments have improved transparency in the foreign exchange market.

The Fund also observed that Nigeria’s economy is less exposed to the global tariff wars triggered by new U.S. trade measures, which have weakened growth prospects in many advanced economies.

Despite the growth optimism, inflation remains elevated. The IMF forecasts that Nigeria’s average consumer prices will decline from 31.4 per cent in 2024 to 23.0 per cent in 2025, and further to 22.0 per cent in 2026.

End-of-period inflation is projected at 21 per cent in 2025 and 18 per cent in 2026, reflecting slow disinflation amid persistent food and energy price pressures.

Nigeria’s current account surplus is expected to narrow from 6.8 per cent of GDP in 2024 to 5.7 per cent in 2025, and further to 3.6 per cent in 2026, as higher imports offset oil export gains.
The IMF noted that the projections incorporate a major rebasing of Nigeria’s national accounts, with 2019 adopted as the new base year.

The revised data now capture previously underreported sectors, including the digital economy, informal agriculture, and modular refining activities, raising nominal GDP by over 40 per cent.

While welcoming the upward revision, the IMF urged Nigeria to sustain credible fiscal and monetary policies, strengthen institutional frameworks, and accelerate reforms to entrench macroeconomic stability and inclusive growth.

Speaking on Nigeria’s Growth Outlook, at the press briefing on the WEO, Denz Igan, Division Chief, Research Department, IMF, said: “For 2025, we have revised Nigeria’s growth rate upward to 3.9 per cent, which is 0.5 percentage point higher than our previous projection.

‘’We have also upgraded the 2026 forecast by 0.9 percentage point, to 4.2 per cent. Looking back, the 2024 GDP growth estimate has been revised upward to 4.1 per cent, 0.7 percentage point higher than earlier figures.

‘’This reflects the authorities’ GDP revision and rebasing exercise, which provides broader coverage of economic activity, including parts of the informal sector previously not captured.

“For 2025 and 2026, the upward revisions mainly reflect reduced uncertainty and Nigeria’s limited exposure to U.S. tariffs, given its relatively low dependence on global trade.

‘’Since July, we’ve also seen exchange rate appreciation, stronger financial conditions supported by rising investor confidence, and a supportive fiscal stance.

“In addition, hydrocarbon growth has been revised upward due to higher oil production and improved security in producing areas. Together, these factors contribute to a more positive outlook for Nigeria’s economy.”

Sub-Saharan Africa
Speaking on the new forecast for Sub-Saharan Africa, Igan, said: “For Sub-Saharan Africa, we have upgraded growth projections. Growth for 2025 has been revised up by 0.2 percentage point, and the same applies to 2026. We now project 4.1 per cent growth this year and 4.4 per cent next year.

“This resilience across the region has been supported by macroeconomic stabilisation measures and ongoing reform efforts in several key economies — notably Ethiopia and Nigeria.

“That said, vulnerabilities remain. Resource-dependent and conflict-affected countries continue to face significant headwinds, and our medium-term outlook indicates that low-income economies in the region are still grappling with a widening per capita income gap compared to advanced economies.

“In such an environment, it is crucial for countries to strengthen institutions, deepen structural reforms, and mobilise domestic revenue through effective tax reforms. Additionally, improving debt management, transparency, and governance, alongside broader structural reforms, will be key to unlocking the region’s economic potential.”

Former Senate President and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has said that the recent defections of PDP governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have confirmed his earlier warning that the APC is pursuing an agenda to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.


Wabara, reacting to the defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the reported plans by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State to join the APC, accused the ruling party of orchestrating the wave of defections affecting opposition parties.

Reiterating his earlier position that “a one-party state is a prelude to autocracy and retrogression,” the former Senate President accused the APC of “stifling democracy” in Nigeria.

He lamented that the democratic gains made under the PDP are being eroded under the current administration.

“I saw this coming. I raised the alarm, but was ignored. This is not the democracy that we jealously nurtured and guarded. This is a corrupted version of democracy,” Wabara said.

“The ruling APC believes in intimidating the opposition into submission. No democracy survives without opposition. The APC is killing Nigeria’s democracy by muzzling dissent.”

Wabara attributed the defections not to the APC’s superiority but to what he described as “a deliberate ambush of democracy.”

“APC’s refusal to carry out electoral reforms that could guarantee free and credible polls is what is making some of the opposition members defect. This is more of coerced defection,” he added.

The PDP BoT Chairman argued that the APC has not shown the capacity to rescue the country from its economic and governance challenges.

“Nigerians know very well that there is nothing attractive in the APC. It was never prepared for governance, and that is why it has continued to supervise the erosion of our democratic values.


Since grabbing power in 2015, the APC has superintended Nigeria’s retrogression. Poverty and economic hardship will stand out as its greatest legacies,” he said.

Wabara further claimed that PDP governors leaving the party have performed better than their APC counterparts but are defecting mainly to protect their political futures.

He, however, maintained that their exit would not lead to the collapse of the PDP.

“That a few individuals decided to leave does not mean the masses have left us. The PDP remains popular among Nigerians because they know how the PDP incubated and preserved our democracy,” he stated.


“Nigerians can take this to the bank: PDP will not die. We have come a long way and will surmount the current storm.”

Wabara urged party members, especially in the South East, to remain steadfast, expressing confidence that a brighter future awaits the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He also warned the ruling APC not to celebrate too soon, predicting internal crises ahead.

“In 2027, impoverished and suffering Nigerians — not governors — will decide the fate of the APC,” Wabara declared.