President Bola Tinubu failed to express his apologies for the violent police crackdown on peaceful protesters in several states, including Abuja and Lagos, on Sunday, August 4.
In a twist, the president expressed his dissatisfaction with the violence that has occurred following the protests in certain states, which has resulted in the deaths and destruction of property.
Mr. Tinubu, who has not publicly spoken since the protests started on Thursday, August 1, urged the protesters to suspend any further protest and warned that the law would catch up with those who carried out violence.
Although the president acknowledged that some of the protesters “were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled,” he ignored the police’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters.
The police, as reported, used tear gas and live bullets to disperse peaceful protesters in Abuja, causing injuries to numerous of them and journalists watching the protest.
Journalists were targeted by the police, who assaulted, brutalized, and detained some even though they were identified as journalists.
In his speech, Mr Tinubu only called on security operatives to “continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory,” thus suggesting that has been the practice of the security agencies in handling the protests.
The president acknowledged the loss of lives in certain states, but he didn’t consider the possibility of investigating the circumstances that led to these deaths.
He tried to transfer the responsibility of ensuring peaceful protests to the organizers, claiming that they had not kept their pledge to guarantee a peaceful demonstration.
“I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organizers that the protest would be peaceful across the country.
“The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will again be used to restore them. I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence, and destruction,” he said.
Despite the police’s provoking role, Mr. Tinubu alleged that individuals with a ‘political agenda’ were responsible for the violence.
“As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart,” Mr Tinubu said.
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