The Lagos State government has confirmed paying compensation to the families of victims of the mass shootings at the Lekki Tollgate by the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army during the October 20, 2020, #EndSARS protests.

A senior official in the governor’s office anonymously confirmed to Peoples Gazette on Monday that over N100 million was paid to victims even though Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration had repeatedly denied the massacre during the protest against brutality and extrajudicial killings by the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

According to the official, the state government compensated the leaders of the protest and victims in compliance with the directive by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up for SARS-related killings and the Lekki Tollgate incident.

“What we gave as compensation was even more than that (the N100 million); compensation is legal,” said the official. “It was after the #EndSARS panel. Remember, they said they should compensate some of those who were wounded. So, if it is that one, there’s nothing hidden about it.”

The official was responding to claims by two of the leaders of the #EndSARS protests, Banke Oniru and Serah Ibrahim, who, on Sunday, said the state government offered the protest leaders and organisers N100 million.

However, he accused the activists of digging up an old tweet to stir up controversies, saying, “If government sees you that you’re one of those championing this course, and government reached out to you that, should we give you money to help us disburse to them (victims)? I mean, this was a harmless thing to do. If you now say, give it to them directly, is that a shady thing?”

Since the protest, which resulted in the shooting of peaceful demonstrators shortly after Mr Sanwo-Olu announced a curfew, there has been a controversy surrounding the figure of casualties recorded.

Many sources, including those from security sources, confirmed to The Gazette that casualties were recorded on the night of the attack after soldiers fired at protesters who sat on the ground, singing the national anthem and waving the Nigerian flag. Mr Sanwo-Olu had claimed nobody died but later said only two people were killed during the protest.

Initially, the Nigerian Army denied being at the protest ground, stating that videos and photos from the scene were “doctored”. However, it later admitted officers’ presence and claimed that shots were only fired into the air to enforce the curfew.

In June 2021, chief pathologist John Obafunwa, who carried out an autopsy on 99 bodies said to be of slain #EndSARS protesters in Lagos, explained that three were confirmed to be from the Tollgate.