Veteran Nollywood actress and philanthropist Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has opened up about the deeply personal toll the #EndSARS protests took on her and her family, revealing that her children received death threats during the height of the movement — an experience she says permanently changed how she engages in activism.
Speaking on Rubbin’ Minds, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television on Sunday, the award-winning actress recounted how the intimidation she faced during the 2020 protests crossed a line when it extended beyond her to her children. According to her, while she had grown accustomed to threats directed at her because of her public profile and outspoken nature, seeing her children targeted marked a turning point.
“I am used to death threats; I have received them many times,” Omotola said. “But I have never seen anything like what happened during EndSARS. It was intense. My kids started getting death threats. That was when it became real, and when I realised this was no longer just about me.”
Omotola explained that the situation became even more alarming when individuals reportedly began showing up at places connected to her daily life, including her home and workplace, in search of her. The escalation, she said, forced her to confront the limits of personal courage when weighed against the safety of loved ones.
“When people started coming to my home and workplace looking for me, I knew it was time to think beyond myself,” she told the programme. “I had to protect others, especially my children.”
The actress said the experience prompted a fundamental reassessment of how she participates in civic engagement and social movements. While she remains committed to advocacy and speaking out against injustice, Omotola noted that she has since moved away from street protests and large public demonstrations toward what she described as more strategic and targeted forms of engagement.
Her decision, she said, was shaped largely by the realities of motherhood and the growing independence of her children.
“I can’t control where they go. I can’t protect them as much,” she said candidly. “I don’t care for my life, but I do care for them.”
The #EndSARS movement, which erupted in October 2020, was a decentralised, youth-led protest demanding an end to police brutality in Nigeria, particularly abuses linked to the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). For years, the unit had been accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, extortion, harassment, and unlawful arrests, with young Nigerians disproportionately affected.
The protests gained nationwide momentum after a viral video circulated online allegedly showing SARS operatives killing a young man in Delta State. The footage sparked widespread outrage and ignited demonstrations across major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Benin City, Port Harcourt, and Enugu. Protesters took to the streets with placards, chants, and coordinated social media campaigns, calling for police reform, accountability, and justice for victims.
Omotola was among several prominent public figures who openly supported the movement. She joined protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, which quickly became one of the most symbolic locations of the demonstrations. For days, young Nigerians gathered there peacefully, singing the national anthem, waving flags, and demanding an end to police brutality and impunity.
However, the movement reached a tragic climax on October 20, 2020, when security operatives allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate. Videos and eyewitness accounts from the scene circulated widely, drawing international attention and condemnation. The incident has since remained one of the most controversial and defining moments in Nigeria’s recent history.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Omotola found herself at the centre of public backlash following a tweet in which she suggested that “if no one died, people should stop sensationalising” the incident, while stressing that the alleged attack itself remained a serious crime. Many Nigerians interpreted the comment as casting doubt on reports of fatalities and accused her of being insensitive at a time of national grief and anger.
The backlash was swift and intense. Critics argued that her statement undermined the experiences of protesters and victims’ families, while others questioned her role as a public figure in moments of crisis. Omotola later issued a public apology, clarifying that she did not dispute the loss of life and that her intention was to emphasise that the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians was criminal regardless of the number of casualties.
The Lekki Toll Gate incident ultimately became the defining symbol of the #EndSARS movement, prompting calls for independent investigations, judicial panels of inquiry, and systemic reform of Nigeria’s policing system.
In response to the protests, the Federal Government announced the dissolution of SARS and the creation of a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit. Protesters, however, remained sceptical, arguing that disbanding one unit without addressing structural issues would not end police brutality. They outlined five key demands, including the release of detained protesters, justice and compensation for victims of police abuse, an independent body to investigate misconduct, psychological evaluation and retraining of officers, and improved police welfare.
More than four years after the protests, Omotola’s reflections highlight the often-overlooked personal cost of activism, especially for public figures whose families may become collateral targets. Her account adds nuance to ongoing conversations about civic engagement, public protest, and the balance between speaking out and personal safety.
While she has adjusted her approach, Omotola made it clear that her commitment to social justice remains intact — shaped now by experience, caution, and an enduring concern for those closest to her.
