Five years after the historic #EndSARS protests that swept across Nigeria, calling for an end to police brutality and demanding justice for victims, lawyers across the country are reflecting on the legacy of the movement — its impact on governance, human rights, and the justice system.
Marking the fifth anniversary, several legal practitioners shared their thoughts on how much progress has been made since 2020, and what still needs to be done to ensure accountability and reform within Nigeria’s institutions.
While many acknowledged that #EndSARS ignited a new wave of civic awareness among young Nigerians, they also lamented the slow pace of justice and the government’s failure to fully implement the recommendations of the judicial panels set up after the protests.
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Kunle Edun (SAN)
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kunle Edun, described the #EndSARS protests as “a dark page in Nigeria’s history,” highlighting how it exposed government disregard for human life and the rule of law.
He said, “The courts have delivered judgments awarding damages to victims, yet the government continues to ignore them. Disregard for court judgments is an invitation to anarchy — and not even a million soldiers can stop that.”
Edun accused some Attorneys-General and legislators of colluding with governors to disobey lawful court orders, insisting that “what Nigeria practices is civilian rule, not democracy.”
He urged the judiciary to take firm action in enforcing compliance with its orders and advocated for the establishment of state police to curb abuse and improve accountability.
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Deji Adeyanju
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju blamed Nigeria’s deep-rooted “culture of impunity” and executive interference for the lack of meaningful progress in ensuring justice for #EndSARS victims.
According to him, “The implementation of judicial panel recommendations depends entirely on political will and budgetary approval — both of which are lacking.”
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Amanda Demechi-Asagba
NBA representative on the Lagos Judicial Panel, Amanda Demechi-Asagba, stressed that victims of the #EndSARS protests deserve more than empty promises.
“The panels made clear findings, but implementation has stalled. Victims deserve justice, compensation, and restitution — not rhetoric,” she said.
Demechi-Asagba called on the government to demonstrate genuine commitment to police reform. “The Nigerian Police must be restructured to prioritize human rights and rebuild public trust,” she added, warning that failure to act could fuel renewed public outrage in the future.
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Ayo Ademiluyi
Ayo Ademiluyi, one of the counsel representing victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting, argued that accountability will remain out of reach as long as the same political figures who enabled the 2020 violence remain in power.
“The Lagos Judicial Panel’s findings were undermined by a one-sided White Paper. No victim can get real justice under this current political class — they are the same people who justified the injustices committed five years ago,” he said.
He further emphasized the need for urgent police reforms, particularly in welfare and structure. “Nothing has changed in five years. Until we improve police working conditions and pensions, talk of reform will remain meaningless,” Ademiluyi asserted.
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Five Years On: The Unfinished Business of #EndSARS
Five years later, #EndSARS stands as both a defining moment in Nigeria’s history and an unfinished struggle. It reshaped the country’s civic landscape, showing that ordinary citizens could unite against systemic injustice and demand change.
However, as many lawyers and human rights advocates have noted, the ideals that powered the movement — justice, accountability, and reform — remain largely unfulfilled. The question that lingers is whether Nigeria will learn from its past or continue to repeat it.
