As the nation mourns the passing of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was laid to rest on Tuesday, social media has become a space for reflection and remembrance, with many revisiting the Lekki Massacre of 2020.
Many have revisited the Lekki Massacre, a tragic event that continues to cast a long shadow over Buhari’s presidency, even after his death.
The October 20, 2020, incident at the Lekki Toll Gate, where security forces allegedly opened fire on #EndSARS protesters, has resurfaced as a focal point of national grief and outrage, with many Nigerians reflecting on the unresolved questions surrounding the event.
The Lekki Massacre occurred during the nationwide #EndSARS protests, which demanded an end to police brutality and systemic corruption.
Eyewitness accounts and reports from human rights organizations indicated that soldiers and police allegedly fired live rounds at unarmed protesters, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Enquiry, in its report, which it submitted to Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noted that at least 48 protesters were either shot dead or injured with bullet wounds by soldiers who stormed the Lekki toll gate on that ill-fated day. In fact, some investigative reports had claimed that the fatality figure was higher than the official figures being bandied around.
As Buhari’s funeral proceedings unfolded, hashtags like #EndSARS and #LekkiMassacre trended on X, with users sharing images, videos, and personal stories from that fateful night.
Several individuals on social media pointed out the silence from Buhari’s administration, with many noting that the late former president never publicly addressed the killings or offered condolences.
One post described the Lekki Massacre as “Buhari’s loudest legacy,” pointing to the lack of accountability and the reported removal of bodies to obscure evidence.
Read some of the reactions below;
