Veteran Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has revealed that her children received death threats during the 2020 #EndSARS protests, an experience that profoundly changed her approach to activism.
Speaking on Channels Television’s *Rubbin’ Minds* on Sunday, Omotola said she had grown accustomed to personal threats but was deeply shaken when the intimidation extended to her family.
“I am used to death threats; I have received them many times. 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,” she said.
The situation escalated when individuals began searching for her at her home and workplace. “When people started coming to my home and workplace looking for me, I knew it was time to think beyond myself. I had to protect others, especially my children,” she added.
The actress explained that the threats influenced her shift from street protests to more strategic advocacy, partly due to concerns about her children’s safety as they grew older.
“I can’t control where they go. I can’t protect them as much. I don’t care for my life, but I do care for them,” she stated.
Omotola was an active participant in the #EndSARS protests, which demanded an end to police brutality and the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. She joined demonstrations at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.
However, she faced backlash after the October 20, 2020, shooting at the toll gate, when she tweeted: “if no one died, people should stop sensationalising” the incident, adding that it did not diminish the crime. Many interpreted this as questioning whether lives were lost. She later apologized, clarifying that she did not dispute the fatalities and meant to emphasize that the attack itself was a serious crime regardless of casualty figures.
The #EndSARS movement led to the dissolution of SARS and the creation of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, though protesters demanded broader reforms, justice for victims, and improved police welfare.
