Five years after the #EndSARS protests that sparked nationwide calls for police reform and accountability, Nigerian lawyers are reflecting on the movement’s legacy and its impact on governance, justice, and human rights.
Marking the fifth anniversary, legal practitioners shared their perspectives on how far the country has come and the work that remains.
While they acknowledged the enduring significance of the protests in shaping civic consciousness, they also emphasised the need for stronger institutional reforms, respect for court judgments, and genuine commitment to justice for victims.
Kunle Edun (SAN)
Former Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kunle Edun, SAN, describes #EndSARS as “a dark page in Nigeria’s history,” symbolising government disregard for human life and the rule of law.
He said: “The courts gave judgments awarding damages to victims, yet the government ignored them. Disrespect for judgments is an invitation to anarchy — not even a million soldiers can stop it.”
Edun accused Attorneys-General and legislators of colluding with governors to disobey court orders, saying, “We only have civilian rule, not democracy.”
He urged courts to enforce compliance with their orders and advocated state policing to end abuse.
Deji Adeyanju
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju blamed Nigeria’s “systemic culture of impunity” and executive interference for stalled #EndSARS accountability.
“Implementation of judicial panel recommendations depends on political will and budgetary approval, both of which are lacking,” he said.
He noted that while ECOWAS Court rulings are binding, they lack coercive force. “Compliance relies on good faith and civil pressure,” he added.
Amanda Demechi-Asagba
The NBA representative on the Lagos Judicial Panel, Amanda Demechi-Asagba, insists that victims of the #EndSARS protest deserve real restitution and not rhetoric.
She said: “The panels made clear findings, but implementation has stalled. Victims deserve justice, compensation, restitution, and not rhetoric.”
She urged the Nigerian government to show genuine commitment to reform. “The police must be restructured to prioritise human rights and rebuild community trust,” she said. Failure to act, she warned, could reignite future public anger.
Ayo Ademiluyi
One of the counsel to victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting, Ayo Ademiluyi, insists that accountability will remain elusive as long as the same political class that enabled the massacre still holds power.
“The Lagos Judicial Panel’s findings were nullified by a unilateral White Paper. No victim can get real justice under this current political class because they enabled the injustice perpetrated five years ago on innocent youth calling for change,” he lamented.
Ademiluyi called for urgent reforms in police welfare and structure, saying, “Nothing has changed in five years. We must overhaul police working conditions and pensions. Only then can reforms be meaningful.”
History & unfinished business.
Five years on, #EndSARS is both history and an unfinished struggle. It is history because it altered Nigeria’s civic landscape, showing that citizens can rise in mass solidarity against injustice.
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