Peaceful #EndSARS Protesters Killed At Lekki Toll Gate Will Get Justice — Buhari

*Says looting inimical to public good; urges families to
reject looted goods brought by members

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that peaceful protesters
killed at Lekki Toll Gate will get justice.

As hoodlums continue to invade prominent individual homes,
private businesses, and warehouses looting COVID-19 palliatives and
other valuable across the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has
condemned the acts.

Addressing the issue for the first time having been criticized
for ignoring the incident in his recent national broadcast, a
statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Sunday
said President Buhari did not want to speak on Lekki until he has
all the facts.

He also assured that following the setting up of a judicial
panel of inquiry by the Lagos State government, security men who
were murdered and property owners whose assets were vandalised and
looted will also get justice.

The statement said: “As the Judicial panel of inquiry set up by
the Lagos State Government, one of the more dozen states to do so,
starts sitting on Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed
his full support and optimism that it will assist the nation to
give justice to peaceful protesters who lost their lives, security
men who were murdered and property owners whose assets were
vandalized and looted.

“The President, who said he had all along avoided going into a
debate about the Lekki Toll Gate incident until all the facts are
established, appealed to the people all over the country to
maintain peace and brotherhood as the machinery of the government
and the wheel of justice turn against the perpetrators of murder,
arson, stealing, rape, assault and malicious damage to public and
private property.”

President Buhari reiterated his appeal for calm, brotherhood and
communal harmony, telling Nigerians not to turn on each other in
hate as according to him, peace, brotherhood, and inter-communal
harmony are central to the nation’s ethos.

He said it is important that the police and other security
agencies move everywhere to restore calm and normalcy as quickly as
possible.

While noting that his administration is working hard through
many pragmatic ways to reduce the hardship of the millions of the
unemployed, poor citizens and those whose lives have been thrown
into disarray by the harsh economic effects of the COVID-19
pandemic, he warned that resort to widespread attacks and the
organized looting and plundering of public and private property in
many states are inimical to the public good and stand
condemned.

The statement added: “A government that has launched a massive
crackdown on corruption, brought in strong laws for a decisive
battle against corruption, pursues loot recovery at home and
abroad, and taken strong decisions against those who thought they
were above the law, will not fold its arms when an otherwise
legitimate and peaceful protest is turning into free-for-all
vandalism and looting.

“While the administration has, for its part, blocked so many
means of looting public money in a war against corruption, it is
the expectation that all civil authorities, community and religious
leaders in the country must rise against the organized looting and
plunder we are witnessing in parts of the country.”

The president admonished families to reject items looted and
brought home by their children.

He stated: “Families must turn back children who bring home
unaccounted goods, in the same way wives must ask their husbands to
return looted items brought home.

“What is more, is that criminal actions as we have so far
witnessed can weaken and erode the confidence of our people and
that of foreign businesses in investing in the economy.

“Looting and vandalism will hurt trade and investment growth in
our country, both large and small industries, as well as our
hardworking people in the informal sectors of the economy.

“These incidents do not reflect well on any society. They are
wrong and condemnable and should not be supported by reasonable
members of the society.”

In line with this, President Buhari commended the decision of
the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to prosecute 229 suspects
arrested by the police for allegedly using the #EndSARS protests to
destroy and loot public and private property.

The statement further said: “As mentioned in two successive
statements on the issues, the President and his administration have
taken note of the grievances of the people. ‘We have heard you loud
and clear,’ he said, and has shown a clear determination to take
all necessary measures to address the complaints. The violence must
stop.”

President Buhari also condemned hate messages and eviction
notices to ethnic and religious groups asking Nigerians to take
pride in the fact that Nigeria’s diverse people have been living
with one another in harmony for ages.

“The right of all citizens to live and work in any part of the
country is a constitutional right and will be defended by the
government,” the statement declared.

*Says looting inimical to public good; urges families to
reject looted goods brought by members

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that peaceful protesters
killed at Lekki Toll Gate will get justice.

As hoodlums continue to invade prominent individual homes,
private businesses, and warehouses looting COVID-19 palliatives and
other valuable across the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has
condemned the acts.

Addressing the issue for the first time having been criticized
for ignoring the incident in his recent national broadcast, a
statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Sunday
said President Buhari did not want to speak on Lekki until he has
all the facts.

He also assured that following the setting up of a judicial
panel of inquiry by the Lagos State government, security men who
were murdered and property owners whose assets were vandalised and
looted will also get justice.

The statement said: “As the Judicial panel of inquiry set up by
the Lagos State Government, one of the more dozen states to do so,
starts sitting on Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed
his full support and optimism that it will assist the nation to
give justice to peaceful protesters who lost their lives, security
men who were murdered and property owners whose assets were
vandalized and looted.

“The President, who said he had all along avoided going into a
debate about the Lekki Toll Gate incident until all the facts are
established, appealed to the people all over the country to
maintain peace and brotherhood as the machinery of the government
and the wheel of justice turn against the perpetrators of murder,
arson, stealing, rape, assault and malicious damage to public and
private property.”

President Buhari reiterated his appeal for calm, brotherhood and
communal harmony, telling Nigerians not to turn on each other in
hate as according to him, peace, brotherhood, and inter-communal
harmony are central to the nation’s ethos.

He said it is important that the police and other security
agencies move everywhere to restore calm and normalcy as quickly as
possible.

While noting that his administration is working hard through
many pragmatic ways to reduce the hardship of the millions of the
unemployed, poor citizens and those whose lives have been thrown
into disarray by the harsh economic effects of the COVID-19
pandemic, he warned that resort to widespread attacks and the
organized looting and plundering of public and private property in
many states are inimical to the public good and stand
condemned.

The statement added: “A government that has launched a massive
crackdown on corruption, brought in strong laws for a decisive
battle against corruption, pursues loot recovery at home and
abroad, and taken strong decisions against those who thought they
were above the law, will not fold its arms when an otherwise
legitimate and peaceful protest is turning into free-for-all
vandalism and looting.

“While the administration has, for its part, blocked so many
means of looting public money in a war against corruption, it is
the expectation that all civil authorities, community and religious
leaders in the country must rise against the organized looting and
plunder we are witnessing in parts of the country.”

The president admonished families to reject items looted and
brought home by their children.

He stated: “Families must turn back children who bring home
unaccounted goods, in the same way wives must ask their husbands to
return looted items brought home.

“What is more, is that criminal actions as we have so far
witnessed can weaken and erode the confidence of our people and
that of foreign businesses in investing in the economy.

“Looting and vandalism will hurt trade and investment growth in
our country, both large and small industries, as well as our
hardworking people in the informal sectors of the economy.

“These incidents do not reflect well on any society. They are
wrong and condemnable and should not be supported by reasonable
members of the society.”

In line with this, President Buhari commended the decision of
the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to prosecute 229 suspects
arrested by the police for allegedly using the #EndSARS protests to
destroy and loot public and private property.

The statement further said: “As mentioned in two successive
statements on the issues, the President and his administration have
taken note of the grievances of the people. ‘We have heard you loud
and clear,’ he said, and has shown a clear determination to take
all necessary measures to address the complaints. The violence must
stop.”

President Buhari also condemned hate messages and eviction
notices to ethnic and religious groups asking Nigerians to take
pride in the fact that Nigeria’s diverse people have been living
with one another in harmony for ages.

“The right of all citizens to live and work in any part of the
country is a constitutional right and will be defended by the
government,” the statement declared.