‘Five Years Now, And Nobody Has Come To Tell Us Their Child Went To The Toll Gate And Didn’t Return’ — Lai Mohammed

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has again denied claims of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate during the EndSARS protests, describing the allegations as “fake news” in a recent interview.

Speaking on Arise TV, Mohammed said: “Yes, people died in many places during EndSARS, but saying there was a massacre at the toll gate is fake news.” He criticised international media, particularly CNN, accusing the outlet of relying on “second-hand information” to report that protesters were killed at the toll gate.

“It has been five years, and nobody has come to tell us their child went to the toll gate and didn’t return,” he added, insisting that no families had come forward to confirm claims of casualties at the site.

The EndSARS protests, which swept across Nigeria in October 2020, were driven by widespread anger over police brutality, especially abuses linked to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Demonstrations erupted in major cities including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, resulting in numerous clashes, property destruction and intensified calls for policing reforms.

Although multiple incidents of violence were recorded nationwide, Mohammed maintained that the reports of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate were unsubstantiated.