ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI,
PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE ENDSARS PROTESTS, 22ND
OCTOBER, 2020
Fellow Nigerians,
It has become necessary for me to address you having heard
from many concerned Nigerians and having concluded a meeting with all the
Security Chiefs.
2. I must warn those who have hijacked and misdirected the
initial, genuine and well - intended protest of some of our youths in parts of
the country, against the excesses of some members of the now disbanded Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
3. On Monday 12th October, I acknowledged the genuine
concerns and agitations of members of the public regarding the excessive use of
force by some members of SARS.
4. The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental
right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other
enactments; but this right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the
responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens, and the necessity to
operate within the law.
5. As a democratic government, we listened to, and carefully
evaluated the five-point demands of the protesters. And, having accepted them,
we immediately scrapped SARS, and put measures in place to address the other
demands of our youth.
6. On approving the termination of SARS, I already made it
clear that it was in line with our commitment to the implementation of
extensive Police reforms.
7. Sadly, the promptness with which we have acted seemed to
have been misconstrued as a sign of weakness and twisted by some for their
selfish unpatriotic interests.
8. The result of this is clear to all observers: human lives
have been lost; acts of sexual violence have been reported; two major
correctional facilities were attacked and convicts freed; public and private
properties completely destroyed or vandalised; the sanctity of the Palace of a
Peace Maker, the Oba of Lagos has been violated. So-called protesters have
invaded an International Airport and in the process disrupted the travel plans
of fellow Nigerians and our visitors.
9. All these executed in the name of the ENDSARS protests. I
am indeed deeply pained that innocent lives have been lost. These tragedies are
uncalled for and unnecessary. Certainly, there is no way whatsoever to connect
these bad acts to legitimate expression of grievance of the youth of our
country.
10. The spreading of deliberate falsehood and misinformation
through the social media in particular, that this government is oblivious to
the pains and plight of its citizens is a ploy to mislead the unwary within and
outside Nigeria into unfair judgement and disruptive behaviour.
11. On the contrary, both our deeds and words have shown how
committed this administration has been to the wellbeing and welfare of
citizens, even with the steadily dwindling revenues, and the added
responsibilities and restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
12. Government has put in place measures and initiatives
principally targeted at youths, women and the most vulnerable groups in our
society. These included our broad plan
to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years; the creation
of N75 billion National Youth Investment Fund to provide opportunities for the
youths and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund,
through which government is:
a. paying three months salaries of the staff of 100,000
micro, small - and medium - enterprises,
b. paying for the registration of 250,000 businesses at the
Corporate Affairs Commission,
c. giving a grant of N30,000 to 100,000 artisans; and
d. guaranteeing market for the products of traders.
13. These are in addition to many other initiatives such as;
a. Farmermoni,
b. Tradermoni,
c. Marketmoni,
d. N-Power,
e. N-Tech and
f. N-Agro.
14. No Nigerian Government in the past has methodically and
seriously approached poverty-alleviation like we have done.
15. With regard to the welfare of police personnel, the
National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission has been directed to expedite
action on the finalization of the new salary structure of members of the
Nigeria Police Force. The emoluments of other paramilitary services are also
being reviewed upwards.
16. In order to underscore the importance of education in
preparing youths for the future, this administration has come up with a new
salary structure and other incentives for our teachers.
17. Let me at this point reaffirm the Federal Government’s
commitment to preserving the unity of this country.
18. We will continue to improve good governance and our
democratic process, including through sustained engagement.
19. We shall continue to ensure that liberty and freedom, as
well as the fundamental rights of all citizens are protected.
20. But remember that government also has the obligation to
protect lives and properties, as well as the right of citizens to go about
their daily businesses freely and protected from acts of violence.
21. To our neighbours in particular, and members of the
international community, many of whom have expressed concern about the ongoing
development in Nigeria, we thank you and urge you all to seek to know all the
facts available before taking a position or rushing to judgment and making
hasty pronouncements.
22. In the circumstances, I would like to appeal to
protesters to note and take advantage of the various well-thought-out
initiatives of this administration designed to make their lives better and more
meaningful, and resist the temptation of being used by some subversive elements
to cause chaos with the aim of truncating our nascent democracy.
23. For you to do otherwise will amount to undermining
national security and the law and order situation. Under no circumstances will
this be tolerated.
24. I therefore call on our youths to discontinue the street
protests and constructively engage government in finding solutions. Your voice
has been heard loud and clear and we are responding.
25. And I call on all Nigerians to go about their normal
businesses, and enjoin security agencies to protect lives and properties of all
law abiding citizens without doing harm to those they are meant to protect. Let
me pay tribute to officers of the Nigeria Police Force who have tragically lost
their lives in the line of duty.
26. I would like to thank those state Governors, traditional
and religious leaders who have appealed for calm and restraint. I also thank
youth leaders who have restrained their followers from taking the law into
their hands.
27. This government respects and will continue to respect
all the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people, but it will not
allow anybody or groups to disrupt the peace of our nation.
Thank you all. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
