Desmond Elliot, the actor-turned-politician and Lagos lawmaker, recently opened up about a harrowing experience during the 2020 EndSARS protests, an ordeal that nearly cost him his life.
In a candid conversation on Nollywood On Radio, Elliot recalled being stranded in his Surulere constituency office after the government-imposed curfew took effect. Unable to return to his home in Lekki, he opted to stay overnight in the office, unaware that danger was quietly closing in.
The 51-year-old said he was unwinding and watching TV when an unexpected commotion broke the stillness. From outside, he heard the frantic voice of his landlady’s daughter, trying to protect him by yelling, “he doesn’t stay here!”
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What came next, Elliot described, was pure chaos. A Molotov cocktail, essentially a glass bottle filled with petrol and ignited, was thrown directly into the office. Flames erupted instantly. “I have never been so scared in my life,” he admitted.
“When there was curfew during the EndSARS period, a lot of bad boys came into Surulere and because of the curfew, I could not go home,” he recounted. I was stuck in Lekki, so I could not go home and has to go back to my office in Surulere. I was inside my office and never knew there was going to be anything so I was watching the TV in my office because I had the intention to spend the night at the office. Next thing, I heard my landlady’s daughter screaming, saying I don’t stay there. When I knew there was a problem was when a bottle with fuel and fire was thrown into my office, and it caught fire. I had to call the chief of staff for help. I have never been so scared in my life, it was horrible.”
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Back in 2020, during the peak of the nationwide protests against police brutality, Desmond Elliot drew intense criticism for his public comments on youth behaviour and social media.
His remarks became the stuff of internet legend, with Nigerians on Twitter swiftly turning him into a viral meme and naming him “Nigeria Twitter’s number one scapegoat.”
While he’s since attempted to clarify his stance, this recent revelation sheds light on the real fears and dangers public figures may have faced behind the scenes.
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Still, the timing of this confession, years after the protests, has left some wondering if this is an attempt at image repair or a sincere moment of vulnerability. Either way, Elliot’s story is a chilling reminder of how tense those days truly were.
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