President Muhammadu Buhari has explained the reason the Lekki killings were noticeably left out of his speech in his presidential address on Thursday night, two days following the killing of unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, he said that he wanted all the facts of the case to be clearly established and so he had avoided a debate.
Following this incident, however, hoodlums have vandalised and destroyed several cities across Nigeria taking the opportunity to destroy many government and private establishments.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari condemned the widespread attacks and the organised looting and plundering of public and private property in many states, saying they are inimical to the public good.
Further, he decried the actions witnessed by the hoodlums so far as criminal, adding that it could weaken and erode the confidence of the people and that of foreign businesses in investing in the economy.
The president, however, warned that his government would not fold its arms when an otherwise legitimate and peaceful protest is turning into free-for-all vandalism and looting.
Buhari appealed to the people all over the country to maintain peace and brotherhood as the machinery of the government as the wheel of justice turns against the perpetrators of murder, arson, stealing, rape, assault and malicious damage to public and private property.
“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.”
President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his full support and optimism that the judicial panel set by Lagos state and other states 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 vandalised and looted.
He 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.
