Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has said the state government implemented several recommendations of the judicial panel set up to investigate the October 20, 2020, Lekki tollgate incident.

Hamzat made the statement on Sunday during the 2026 Lagos Governorship Debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, comprising The PUNCH, Channels Television, TVC News, TheCable and Vanguard.

Responding to questions about his knowledge of the security decisions taken during the #EndSARS protests, Hamzat acknowledged that he was part of the state administration at the time.

“October 20, 2020, is a very sad day in Lagos. Very sad. I will not stand here to say I’m not the deputy governor. I was in the room,” he said.

He explained that the Lagos State Government subsequently established an independent judicial commission to investigate the incident, adding that the administration also issued a White Paper to address the panel’s recommendations.

“Remember, Lagos set up a judicial commission, funded and independent, to find the truth. They did their report. Lagos also did a white paper, implementing a lot of those decisions,” Hamzat said.

The deputy governor also reaffirmed the government’s position on citizens’ right to protest, stating that residents were entitled to express their grievances through peaceful demonstrations.

The #EndSARS protests erupted in October 2020 following widespread allegations of police brutality, harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killings, particularly involving operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

The Lekki tollgate became a major centre of the demonstrations, with the October 20 shooting of protesters by soldiers sparking nationwide and international condemnation.

Following the incident, the Lagos State Government inaugurated a Judicial Panel of Inquiry chaired by retired Justice Doris Okuwobi to investigate allegations of police brutality and the events at the tollgate.

After months of proceedings, the panel submitted its report on November 15, 2021, documenting alleged human rights violations and making 32 recommendations, including compensation for victims, prosecution of implicated security personnel and the establishment of a memorial at the tollgate.

The state government’s White Paper, released on November 30, 2021, accepted 11 recommendations, accepted six with modifications, rejected one and referred 14 to the Federal Government.

The government also disputed the panel’s finding that nine people were killed by gunfire at the tollgate, arguing that the conclusion was not sufficiently supported by evidence.

Despite the government’s response, demands for accountability and full implementation of the panel’s recommendations have remained central to discussions surrounding the 2020 protests.