President Muhamadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians 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.
In a a statement by his Senior Special Assistant Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu,the President expressed his full support to the judicial panel of Inquiry set up by some states as they begin sitting on Monday.
He expressed 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.
READ ALSO: How #EndSARS Protest Was Hijacked; Misdirected,President Buhari Tells Former Heads Of State
The President, who said he had all along avoided going into a debate about the Lekki Toll Gate incidents 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.
The President advises that peace, brotherhood, and inter communal harmony are central to our ethos and urges Nigerians “not to turn against one another in hate.”
He said it is important that the police and other security agencies move everywhere to restore calm and normalcy as quickly as possible.
READ ALSO : Full Text Of President Buhari’s Broadcast on #EndSARS Protest
“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. 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.”
The President however 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.
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.
He said ” 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.
