Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari says he now supports the call for investigation into the October 20 shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State. This is about the first time the President will personally makereference to the incident in any public statement.
Buhari in a tweet says “The Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Govt has my full support, as it commences sitting this week. I‘m confident that all the State Panels will help ensure justice is done on behalf of the peaceful protesters and law enforcement agents who sadly lost their lives”.
About 48 hours ago, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said “We have expanded the terms of reference for the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution to include the incident at the Lekki toll gate. If you have any claims, do send them to the panel. The panel will begin to sit on Monday at the Lagos Court of Arbitration situated in Lekki”.
The #EndSARS protesters and Lagos State Government have accused the Army of deploying soldiers who attacked the peaceful protest on that fateful day with sporadic gun shots. The Army and Defence Headquarters have however denied the allegation claiming the persons who dressed in Army uniforms and shoot at the protesters are fake soldiers.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, President Buhari says “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… 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”.
The President therefore commends “the decision of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to prosecute 229 suspects arrested by the police for allegedly using the #EndSARS protest to destroy and loot public and private property”.
The Presidency says “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 our 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”.
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