Buhari tells former heads of state how EndSARS protest was hijacked, misdirected

By Noel O’tayo -


By Noel Damilola O'tayo


President Muhammadu Buhari in a virtual meeting of former Heads of State and Presidents of Nigeria he hosted in Abuja On October 23, 2020 has told them of how the EndSARS protest was hijacked. 


The Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) Mr Femi Adesina in a signed press release said he told them how the initial genuine and well-intended protest of youths in parts of the country against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was hijacked and misdirected.

 

In the virtual meeting President Buhari reiterated that the Government will not fold its arms and allow miscreants and criminals continue to perpetrate acts of hooliganism in the country.

 

Present were all living past leaders, including: Gen. Yakubu Gowon, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Gen. Abulsalami Abubakar, and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

 

The President recounted the initial concessions made by his administration on the demands of youths protesting against the excesses of some members of the SARS.

 

He recalled that the youths had demanded that the squad be disbanded, and further articulated the additional demands, including:

 

''The immediate release of all arrested protesters.

 

''Justice for deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families.

 

''Setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of Police misconduct within 10 days.

 

''Psychological evaluation and re-training of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be re-deployed; and increase in Police salary.''

 

The President declared: ''We accepted all the demands and proceeded immediately to scrap SARS and started the process of addressing the other demands.

 

''Unfortunately, the protesters refused to call off the protest and engage the Government to address their grievances. Instead, they became emboldened and gradually turned violent.''

 

President Buhari expressed concern that in the mayhem that ensued, many lives have been lost, a number of public and private properties completely destroyed or vandalized.

 

Reiterating his pledge to Nigerians from the nationwide broadcast Thursday, the President reaffirmed:

 

''We will continue to improve good governance through our democratic process including through sustained engagement.

 

''We shall also continue to ensure that liberty and freedom, as well as the fundamental rights of all citizens are protected. Here, I want to also reaffirm our commitment to preserving the unity of this country.”

 

The President thanked the former Heads of State for attending the meeting and their invaluable comments, observations and advice, adding that ''Nigerians expect nothing less from responsible statesmen.''

 

Each of the former leaders commended President Buhari for steps taken so far to restore calm and order to the country and also applauded the presidential broadcast of Thursday as detailed and soothing to the country.

 

''I commend the speech of last night. The nation had been waiting. You made points that I believe need to be commended. Peaceful demonstration is part of democratic practice. The demands of the genuine protesters were accepted, and you are working on implementation. We commend you,'' former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said.

 

The former heads of state were unanimous in their view that generation of employment and growing the economy including through direct foreign investments were critical to checking youth restiveness.

 

They also expressed their condolences to the bereaved families of civilians, policemen and soldiers killed as a result of the violent protest, and reaffirmed the commitment to respect the fundamental rights of citizens, including for peaceful protest as enshrined in the Constitution.

 

The former Heads of State also condemned the divisive and inciting pronouncements of separatists, and were of the opinion that such acts should be stopped.

 

Equally, the former Leaders commended the actions taken by Governors to address the demands of the ENDSARS protesters and their efforts to check the excesses of those who perpetrated violent acts and conduct.

 

Finally, they called on youths to pursue peaceful means, in seeking redress through engagement with Government and encouraged further conversation with the youths and other stakeholders in the country.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fayemi Doles Out N360m to 24 Communities

By -
Image
   Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday distributed cheques worth N360 million to 24 Communities in the state as part of efforts to cushion the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the poor and vulnerable as well as ensure reduction of poverty to the barest minimum in the State. Dr Fayemi, Who personally presented the cheques to representatives of the communities at the Oshuntokun Hall, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, said the fund would focus on three specific result areas: education, healthcare services, water and sanitation. The Governor stated that any government that is able to cover these three critical areas would have gone a long way at reducing poverty to its barest minimum, adding that the fund was in fulfilment of his promise and commitment to ensuring that every community in the State get a taste of the administration’s development agenda. He said government was poised to continue to make meaningful impacts in the lives of the people. According to the Governor, Ekiti Sta
Read more

‎Rescue Us From Poverty, Residents Plead With Fayemi In Campaign Trail ... As Fayose's Chief of Staff Loses Supporters To APC

By -
Image
One of The Residents  "We have been left to hunger and joblessness since you left government in 2014. We pay heavily for our health. We can no long send our children to school. Our roads are no longer motorable. There are no drugs in our hospitals. All the developments initiated in 2014 are still at the same stage of implementation." These were the words of lamentations by the residents of Irepodun/Ifelodun and parts of Gbonyin Local Government, including Ijan and Iluomoba,  as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi, in a campaign trail that took him to  towns and villages in the two local governments, promised to rekindle their hopes that the lost glory of Ekiti will return if voted into office in the July 14 poll. At Eyio-Ekiti, where the residents praised the deputy governorship candidate, Bisi Egbeyemi, for personally donating money to complete their road more than a decade ago, Fayemi assured the people that the road
Read more

ANA Faction Loses Court Case, Risks Being Docked For Contempt of Court

By -
Image
The National Executive of a faction of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) led by Mr. Camilus Ukah has lost its bid to challenge the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, in a pending originating summons against them and the faction it constituted for Abuja, under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Usman Halima. Progress in the case, which the existing Executive members of the Abuja Chapter of the association filed was stalled by a preliminary objection based on the false allegations that the executives of the Abuja Chapter under Halima Usman were not members of ANA.  In a ruling on the preliminary objection yesterday, the 7th July, 2022, the court dismissed the preliminary objection, thereby assuming full  jurisdiction to hear and determine whether or not the emergence of Mr. Ukah and his group as the National Executive Council of the association as claimed, as well as the emergence of the Abuja faction installed by the Ukah faction were in accordance with the c
Read more