News
EndSARS anniversary: Police occupy Lekki toll gate, others, activists set for protest
There are strong indications that security agents and protesters will clash in many cities across the country today (Wednesday) as activists and youths insist on gathering in public spaces to commemorate the first year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, which rocked the nation last year.
For instance, heavily armed police personnel, on Tuesday, took over the Lekki tollgate area, which was the hotbed of last year’s protests.
It was also learnt that some policemen in plain clothes would join the protesters in a bid to monitor them closely.EndSARS memorial protests are planned to take place in Lagos, Abuja, Aba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Enugu, Yola, Ibadan, Benin City, Jos, Ilorin, Asaba and Osogbo, among others.
In October last year, spontaneous protests had erupted in different parts of the country against police brutality, especially by the personnel of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and the #EndSARS movement soon garnered international support.
The protests, however, turned bloody on October 20, 2020, when soldiers and policemen fired at the protesters in Lagos.
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, hoodlums attacked the protesters and injured many of them. They also looted warehouses and set ablaze over 18 cars and vandalised more than 12 vehicles.
In response to the outcry, the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), disbanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad police unit, the fourth time the Federal Government had disbanded it.
On October 19, 2020, the President accused the protesters of trying to cause anarchy and warned that the government would not tolerate that.
The police have, however, warned the organisers and attendees of the commemorative protests to desist from going ahead with their plans as they will be arrested and prosecuted.
In Abuja, it was gathered on Tuesday that the police would deploy personnel at strategic locations as part of plans to frustrate youths from staging street protests in commemoration of the rally.
Sources said security agencies would deploy personnel in various entry and exit points of the Federal Capital Territory, including Mararaba, Nyanya, Zuba and Airport Road.
Our correspondents also learnt that security would be tightened around many public buildings and infrastructure in the FCT.
It was gathered that the Unity Fountain, which is the main protest spot in Abuja, would be cordoned off to prevent any form of gathering there.
A source said, “The security agencies are not very comfortable with plans by some emergency activists to stage a protest. So, we have put in place a plan of action to ensure that the protest or street walk doesn’t degenerate into violence.
“I won’t be able to disclose our strategic plan, but suffice it to say that security will be beefed up at strategic locations and government offices, banks and other public utilities. Many undercover operatives will also be part of protesters to fish out troublemakers among them.”
In Lagos, personnel of the state police command embarked on a show of force on Tuesday to intimidate the organisers and participants of the #EndSARS memorial protests in the state.
Fully armed personnel in police patrol vehicles were seen patrolling potential protest grounds in a show of force.
There was heavy police presence at the Lekki tollgate.
A notice from the organisers of the protest sighted by one of our correspondents read, “In memorial of the lives lost on the 20-10-2020, there will be a memorial car procession on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, taking place at the Lekki Tollgate by 8.10am. We should all endeavour to stay in our vehicles throughout the procession.”
In Oyo State, the organisers said the commemorative protest would start by 9am at under the bridge, Iwo Road, Ibadan, while a candlelight procession would follow at the Ojoo roundabout by 4pm.
“There will be a morning walk for #EndSARS heroes by 9am at Iwo Road, under bridge, opposite Tantalizers with a candle light procession at 4pm at Ojoo roundabout, Ibadan,” a notice by the organisers read.
The Lagos State Police Command, however, said no form of street protest in commemoration of the #EndSARS anniversary would be tolerated in any part of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Tuesday, dispelled the rumour circulating on social media that the police had agreed to allow street demonstrations to commemorate the #EndSARS protest anniversary scheduled to hold today (Wednesday).
He said the command would only allow indoor and virtual events in commemoration of the anniversary.
Ajisebutu said, “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a post being circulated on social media insinuating that the police in Lagos have agreed to allow street protests in commemoration of the one-year #EndSARS anniversary on October 20, 2021.
“On the contrary, the police will only allow indoor and virtual events in commemoration of the #EndSARS anniversary and will provide adequate security at the venue(s) if known. This is in recognition of the rights of every Nigerian to express his or her interest.
“We wish we could permit such street protests. However, intelligence at our disposal has revealed plans by some faceless groups or individuals to stage an anti-#EndSARS anniversary protest in the state on the same day.
“In view of the conflicting interest between the pro and anti-#EndSARS anniversary groups and threat to cause mayhem, the command once again warns both groups against any form of street protest between now and October 20, 2021 and beyond.”
Similarly, the Osun State Police Command, on Tuesday, warned against any unlawful assembly or gathering in commemoration of the #EndSARS protests anniversary in the state.
The spokesperson for the command, Yemisi Opalola, said intelligence available to it indicated plans by some youths and groups of people to embark on protests.
Opalola said the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Olokode, had given a marching order to area commanders, divisional police officers and tactical units to be at alert and nip in the bud any act capable of truncating the peace of the state.
She said the commissioner also advised parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to be law-abiding and desist from protests and public gatherings, adding that the police would arrest and prosecute anyone who acted contrary to the directive.
Meanwhile, global rights group, Amnesty International, has said despite promises of reform, police impunity is continuing even as it accused investigation panels set up to probe police brutality of dashing victims’ hope of getting justice.
Amnesty said this in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria: No justice for victims of police brutality one year after #EndSARS protests’.
It said no one had been brought to justice for the torture, violence, and killings of peaceful protesters, while reports of human rights violations by the police continue.
“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters. The organisation also found that detained protesters were tortured and refused or denied immediate access to lawyers,” it said.
The rights group stated that a year on and despite the gravity of the human rights violations, “not a single member of the security forces has been prosecuted, while judicial panels of inquiry set up to investigate abuses by officers have made little progress.”
Amnesty said the President must fulfil his promise of reforming the police to end the reign of impunity that Nigerians had been protesting against for many years.
It said under the pretext of restoring order, horrific injuries were inflicted on hundreds of people and at least 56 persons were killed, among them dozens of young people, as Nigerian security forces used unnecessary and excessive force to disperse peaceful protesters across the country.
“It is unacceptable that despite overwhelming evidence, the government continues to deny the use of live ammunition on protesters at the Lekki tollgate exactly a year ago,” said Amnesty International’s Country Director, Ms Osai Ojigho.
It said after reviewing videos and photos of the protest sites, it found that in nearly 21 incidents where violence occurred between peaceful protesters and pro-government supporters, security forces not only failed to take preventive measures to avoid peaceful assemblies from being disrupted, but they also failed to protect protesters from violent attacks.
“In many instances, the police and other security agents watched as apparently government-backed armed thugs attacked peaceful protesters. In some cases, these thugs were brought to the protest sites in government vehicles. On at least two occasions, these attacks resulted in the death of protesters,” Ojigho added.
Amnesty also documented numerous cases in which the police denied or delayed access to lawyers and medical care by detainees. This was despite repeated requests from detainees to see or call a lawyer – and repeated requests from lawyers at places of detention to have access to the detainees.
It said investigative panels set up to look into police brutality had so far been marred by prolonged adjournments, intimidation of witnesses by police lawyers and the failure of police officers to appear as witnesses.
It said some panels had failed to sit in some states and had taken indefinite breaks.
“What we observed at these panels is discouraging and clearly shows that there is no real commitment to ensuring justice for victims of police violence across Nigeria. These panels raised hopes of getting justice but in some states, this is quickly vanishing,” Ojigho stated.
The Human Rights Watch has lamented the failure of the Federal Government to hold accountable security operatives, who allegedly brutalised and killed #EndSARS protesters in October 2020.
The international human rights group said the victims were still awaiting justice a year after security forces violently suppressed protests calling for an end to police brutality in Nigeria.
The HRW in a statement on Tuesday titled, ‘Nigeria: A year on, no justice for #EndSARS crackdown’, noted that the prospects for accountability remained inconclusive and bleak.
It said, “Nigerian authorities should take concrete and decisive steps to ensure that those implicated in abuses against protesters are held accountable.
“In October 2020, young people across Nigeria took to the streets calling for disbanding an abusive police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and for ending brutality in a movement tagged: #EndSARS. Security forces responded with excessive force, including gunfire, which resulted in death and serious injuries.”
Nigerian researcher at Human Rights Watch, Anietie Ewang, advised the government to ensure justice for those abused during the nationwide protests.
“Failure to pursue justice will strengthen the culture of impunity and reinforce the perceptions that brought protesters to the streets in the first place,” she noted.
Between October 2020 and August 2021, the HRW said it interviewed 54 persons, including victims and their family members, protesters, protest supporters, representatives of civil society groups, medical service providers, political analysts and journalists on how the crackdowns unfolded and how the victims had been affected.
The rights group also wrote letters to the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army to share findings and ask questions about officers’ conduct during the protests, but has yet to receive a response.
The PUNCH reports that the harassment and brutalisation of citizens have continued despite the #EndSARS protests, which rocked the country last year.
Despite the disbandment of the SARS, findings by our correspondents showed that the harassment and brutalisation of citizens by the police had continued.
Some of the notable cases during the period under review included the harassment of six journalists, including Solomon Odeniyi and Chidiebube Okeoma of The PUNCH, who were arrested and detained in the course of carrying out their official duties.
Others include the harassment of 10 protesters on February 13, 2021 during the Occupy Lekki Tollgate in Lagos, and the alleged shooting of nine persons on June 21 by a police inspector attached to Special Protection Unit, Base 9, Umuahia. Five of the victims were said to have died from gunshot wounds, while four survived.
Others are the harassment of 57 Shiite members on September 28, 2021, who were protesting the ordeal of their leader in Abuja; the brutalisation of a cameraman attached to the Edo State Government House and a certain Broderick Omeisan in Warri, Delta State.
However, Amnesty International said in a report in August that it documented 115 persons killed by the army and the police, and over 500 arrests made by the two institutions between March and June 2021 in the South-East.
The National Coordinator, Advocate for Peoples Rights and Justice, Giwa Victor, said the lack of punishment to serve as a deterrent to others had ensured that the scourge of harassment and brutalisation continued to thrive in the country.
He said, “Errant personnel are not being made to account for their actions. The fact that there is no punishment will make this scourge to continue to thrive in the country. How many have been dismissed and prosecuted this year alone?
“It is not enough to tell us they will be investigated, just like the IG has promised in the most recent case in Kogi; the action that should follow should be the one capable of deterring others. Not until they are seen to be punished they would continue with their heinous act and have the belief that they can get away with it.”
The Centre for Democracy and Development said it was displeased that despite the clear message that the protests sent, the government had not exhibited any iota of seriousness to address the trigger factors.
In a statement by its Director, Idayat Hassan, the group said if this continued to be ignored, it could reignite a similar experience in no distant time.
Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan was the front-runner after last month’s first informal vote, in which the council’s 15 members, including the five with veto power, pass judgment in secret on the candidates.
Argentina’s Rafael Grossi — the current head of the UN nuclear watchdog — is also a candidate along with Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Uganda’s Olara Otunnu and Senegal’s Macky Sall.
After the first round concluded, Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki threw her hat into the race to succeed Antonio Guterres, who will complete his second five-year term on December 31, 2026.
“While the first straw poll set the scene for the Secretary-General race, the second may give us some direction about where it is headed,” said the International Crisis Group’s Daniel Forti.
“Diplomats expect fluctuations in the vote distribution compared to the July poll. Most will be watching to see whether the early front-runners consolidate their support or slip in the standings.
“It is unlikely that any candidate will emerge from (Friday’s) poll with a decisive lead.”
Forti said the veto-wielding nations — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — might wait until later to express their preferences, while new contenders could emerge.
Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said Thursday he could not rule out that possibility.
“If, for example — I’m speculating now — if there is a deadlock on any of the candidates we are seeing today, if nobody… flies, then I think that we may see other candidates as well,” Nebenzia said.
Even if a candidate earns the required nine votes from the 15 available in the Security Council, they must also avoid a veto by the five major powers, which are deeply divided.
Once a candidate clears those bars, their name will go to the General Assembly of all UN members for confirmation.
The Security Council straw poll was devised in the early 1980s in an attempt to break a deadlock between two candidates shut down by vetoes.
The informal mechanism has persisted, in various forms, despite criticism from countries opposed to the opaque process.
“There is a good chance that some nominees realise after (Friday’s) vote that their campaigns have reached the end of the road,” Forti added.
Each member state must anonymously assign each candidate one of three labels: “encourage,” “discourage,” or “no opinion.”
That would give those with no support the opportunity to withdraw — though they are not obliged.
In the first rounds of the process expected to take several weeks, all ballots are the same colour.
But after an unspecified number of votes, the ballots of the five permanent members will become a different colour from those of the elected members, making it possible to identify potential vetoes, without knowing which country blackballed any given candidate.
It is tradition that the UN’s top job should rotate between different regions.
Under that premise, the role should go to a candidate from Latin America this time. There are many candidates from the region, though Sall and Otunnu hail from Africa.
The civilian-contracted plane crashed at the airport of the long-range radar site in Cape Newenham, on the state’s southwestern tip, the Alaskan Command said in a statement.
Rescuers who landed near the crash site “confirmed there were no survivors,” it said.
The statement did not say what those onboard were doing at the radar site, which tracks aircraft operating in Alaskan airspace.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” said Alaskan Command chief Robert Davis.
“These individuals were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment,” Lieutenant General Davis added.
The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has admitted Enugu Air as Member, extending the Association’s membership base in Nigeria’s fast-growing domestic aviation market and reaffirming AFRAA’s commitment to supporting the continued development of African carriers across the continent.
This was announced by AFRAA in Nairobi on Wednesday, making Enugu Air the 50th Member of the association, joining the AFRAA airline fraternity, collectively representing more than 85 per cent of total international traffic carried by African airlines.
Speaking on the development on Thursday, AFRAA Secretary General, Mr Abdérahmane Berthé, said, “We are delighted to welcome Enugu Air into the AFRAA fraternity.
“As a state-backed carrier serving Nigeria’s rapidly expanding domestic market, Enugu Air represents the kind of homegrown investment that is vital to building resilient air connectivity across our continent.
“We look forward to supporting the airline through the IOSA certification process and to its continued growth within the AFRAA membership, as we work together to advance the cause of unified African skies.”
Reacting to the development on Thursday, the CEO of Enugu Air, Capt Tolu Ita, described the admission into AFRAA as a major milestone in the airline’s short history.
“We are honoured to join the AFRAA fraternity. This membership underscores Enugu Air’s commitment to safe, reliable, and affordable air travel for Nigerians while contributing to the vision of a unified African aviation market.
“We look forward to collaborating with fellow AFRAA members and leveraging the association’s support as we grow our network and pursue IOSA certification,” Tolu stated.
Founded on July 7, 2025, Enugu Air commenced commercial operations with a fleet of Embraer E170/E190/E195 aircraft.
The airline, which has its headquarters in Enugu and operates from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, currently serves nine domestic destinations including Enugu, Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and Benin City.
As part of the airline’s growth strategy, Enugu Air plans to expand further across Nigeria and, in subsequent phases, to launch regional and international routes across Africa, Europe, and beyond.
As part of its growth strategy, Enugu Air plans to expand further across Nigeria and, in subsequent phases, to launch regional and international routes across Africa, Europe, and beyond.
The admission of Enugu Air aligns with AFRAA’s strategic priorities and strengthens the voice of the association. Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation and one of its fastest-growing economies, remains central to the realization of a truly integrated African aviation market.
Meanwhile, AFRAA association, which was founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, has a mission meant to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry.
The association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable air transport industry in Africa, where African airlines become key players and drivers of African economic development.
AFRAA membership cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators.
The association’s members represent over 85 per cent of total international traffic carried by African airlines.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has rejected calls for the Federal Government to publish details of how it plans to spend funds drawn from its $5bn financing facility with First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Oyedele said the transaction had been subjected to unnecessary scrutiny, arguing that the facility was approved by the National Assembly and was structured to help the government refinance more expensive debt.
He spoke on Wednesday during a media briefing in Abuja.
The Federal Government recently drew about $1.5bn, the first tranche of the $5bn Total Return Swap facility arranged with First Abu Dhabi Bank, despite concerns from the International Monetary Fund and Fitch Ratings over the transparency and risks associated with such financing structures.
The $5bn facility was approved by the National Assembly on March 31, 2026, while the initial drawdown was expected to support the 2026 budget, infrastructure projects and the refinancing of existing debt obligations.
Responding to a question on the borrowing plan and whether details of the First Abu Dhabi Bank transaction would be made public, Oyedele said the government would publish information on how it spends public funds but questioned why the particular facility was receiving special attention.
“We will not publish how we are spending it. We will publish how we spend government money. There’s nothing special about that loan,” he said.
He added, “Nobody has asked us whether we’re going to publish the money we took from the World Bank, whether we publish the one from Eurobond, whether we publish the one from Sukuk. Why is this one special?”
Oyedele also dismissed suggestions that the transaction was conducted without due process, noting that it had been presented to the National Assembly.
“The loan was approved not only by FEC, it was taken to National Assembly because what some people are doing is they comparing with other countries where they did it under the table.
“What else can be more public than what you gave to the National Assembly?” he said.
The minister said the government had assessed the transaction carefully and was accessing the funds in phases to avoid incurring unnecessary costs.
“We’re assessing it in phases. You don’t want to take all the money at once because if you don’t spend it at once, you incur cost on the extra amount you’ve taken,” he said.
He explained that the financing arrangement was different from Nigeria’s traditional fixed-rate borrowing because the First Abu Dhabi Bank facility had a flexible interest rate.
“You need to understand the transaction. You know, there’s always the textbook analysis and there’s the real life of what you’re doing.
According to him, Nigeria could not benefit from the lower yield on its existing fixed-rate debt.
“This First Abu Dhabi Bank transaction is flexible rates. It means if rates go up, we pay more. If rates come down, we benefit more.
“There’s nothing that says we must always do one thing. And the all-in rate for this transaction is lower than our existing portfolio,” he said.
Oyedele said the primary objective was to refinance more expensive debt and reduce the government’s borrowing costs.
“So the objective is to use it to refinance expensive debt so you can save money,” he said.
The Federal Government is required to pledge securities worth about 133 per cent of the amount drawn as collateral under the arrangement.
The International Monetary Fund and Fitch Ratings had raised concerns about the financing structure, including issues around transparency and sovereign debt risks.
The IMF had warned that derivative financing structures such as total return swaps could be difficult to track and value in real time, potentially obscuring the extent of a country’s financial obligations.
Fitch Ratings also warned that Nigeria’s planned $5bn arrangement could increase sovereign debt risks and reduce transparency in public debt reporting.
Oyedele, however, said the government would soon publish frequently asked questions on the transaction to provide further clarification.
“In the next few days, you will see on the website both the Ministry of Finance and DMO the frequently asked questions about this particular debt or bond, just so everybody can please themselves,” he said.
He added that there was “nothing special” about the loan, despite the attention it had received from critics and international media.
“I spend time on it because I think it’s important and the international media also, for some reason, have taken so much interest in it. But that is what it is.” Oyedele said.
News
2027 Elections: 146 Presidential, Governorship Candidates to Spend Not More Than N571bn on Campaigns
No fewer than 146 candidates currently in the race for the 2027 presidential and governorship elections could collectively spend up to N571bn under the campaign expenditure limits prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026.
The figure comprises 19 presidential candidates, each with a campaign spending ceiling of N10bn, and 127 governorship candidates, each allowed to spend a maximum of N3bn under Section 92 of the new Electoral Act.
The 19 presidential candidates alone have a combined spending ceiling of N190bn, while the 127 governorship candidates could collectively spend up to N381bn.
The combined ceiling for the two categories therefore stands at N571bn, although the amount represents the maximum permissible expenditure and not money guaranteed to, or actually received by the candidates.
The development comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission published the personal particulars and credentials of the 19 presidential candidates and their running mates ahead of the 2027 poll, paving the way for the commencement of the presidential campaign on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
According to the election tracker NGelections.com, 127 candidates across 28 states will be running for governor in 2027. Of the number, 122 have been nominated, four have declared, and one is still being monitored.
A check on the INEC website showed that the commission had yet to publish the total number of 2027 governorship candidates, with its official 2027 election page stating under the list of candidates that “This will be available soon.”
INEC has confirmed that governorship elections will be held in 28 states in 2027, with Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun excluded because they are on the off-cycle schedule.
The commission had fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
New spending limits
Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026 substantially raises the amount candidates are permitted to spend on election campaigns compared with the previous statutory limits.
Under the new law, a presidential candidate may spend up to N10bn, while a governorship candidate is limited to N3bn.
For the National Assembly, the ceiling is N500m for a senatorial candidate and N250m for a House of Representatives candidate.
A candidate seeking election to a State House of Assembly may spend up to N100m, the same ceiling prescribed for an Area Council chairmanship candidate, while the maximum campaign expenditure for an Area Council councillorship election is N10m.
The law also places a ceiling on individual contributions to candidates, providing that no individual donor may contribute more than N500m to a single candidate.
Section 92 further provides sanctions for candidates who knowingly exceed the prescribed limits.
Such a candidate faces a fine equivalent to one per cent of the permitted expenditure limit, or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.
The provision makes compliance with the new spending thresholds a statutory obligation rather than a voluntary guideline.
It could not ne confirmed if INEC has successfully prosecuted and secured a conviction against a Nigerian politician specifically for exceeding the statutory election/campaign spending limit.
Also, there is no reported case of a politician or party being prosecuted for exceeding campaign-spending limits.
When asked how INEC would enforce the spending limits, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information/Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, simply stated, ‘’It’s the Commission’s statutory responsibility to monitor the campaign finance of all political parties.’’ The anti-graft agencies are expected to collaborate with the INEC in monitoring and enforcing the spending limits.
The restriction on individual donations means that while a presidential candidate can spend as much as N10bn, a single donor cannot contribute more than N500m.
Similarly, a governorship candidate’s N3bn spending ceiling is six times the maximum individual donation.
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