The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), led by former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.) and other statesmen, has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for the mishandling of the #EndSARS protests, resulting in the loss of lives and properties.
In a resolution at the weekend entitled, ‘#EndSARS – It is time to renegotiate Nigeria,’ the group described as curious how a government that claimed “it negotiated with terrorists and integrated them into the military, could not negotiate with unarmed protesters but chose to shoot them.”
“The current situation was mishandled by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari because the army was released against unarmed protesters in Nigeria. Whoever authorised the deployment of troops to face the protesting youths should be court-marshalled for murder.”
While expressing sorrow at the events, the group said there should be a full National Assembly inquiry into the causes of death and destruction that trailed the peaceful #EndSARS protests, noting that the government must be fully investigated for the role played by security agents in transporting, and supervising vandals and thugs to attack the protesters
“As the country mourns the death of the protesters, the security personnel, as well as other people who died as collateral damages, NCEF appeals to the youths to suspend any further public protest. The point has been made that though Nigerians are tolerant and patient, they are not docile.
“The government should take advantage of the protests rejecting police brutality to introduce state police. This is the appropriate step under the circumstances to ensure adequate and effective security nationwide and henceforth localize any case of police excesses to the states.
“The failure of the government to declare state police at this point should be interpreted to imply that a centrally controlled police is desired by the government in order to continue to provide state cover for marauding Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, bandits and Boko Haram.”