President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the Federal Government cannot act on the reports submitted by the various panels set up to investigate police brutality in the country.
The President said the Federal Government would rather allow each state to work on the reports before taking any necessary steps.
Buhari said this while playing host to the United States Secretary of State, Mr Antony Blinken.
The President who reacted to the recent 309-page report submitted by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters, said government will exhaust all possible processes before weighing in on the reports.
In his words, “So many state governments are involved, and have given different terms of reference to the probe panels.
“We at the Federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system to work. We can’t impose ideas on them. Federal Government has to wait for the reaction of the states.”
In his response, Blinken urged the Federal government as well as the Lagos state government to ensure that justice is served and all indicted security operatives face the wrath of the law.
In his words: “By tackling these issue we can help to address some of the problems that have been key drivers of insecurity. To that end, let me say that we welcome the conclusion of the investigation by the panel of inquiry established by the Lagos state government to look into the events that took place in Lekki tollgate in Lagos in October of 2020.
“And this report reflects the EndSARS protests, including the killings and other alleged abuses by the security forces. We anticipate and look forward to the state and the federal government’s response to findings and address the grievances of the victims and their families.”
Speaking during a press conference which held shortly after the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the administration of Buhari is prudent with the loans it receives from China while looking for the best deal for the country.
He added that the high borrowings of the government from China is under control, adding that there is no need for concerns among citizens.
Many Nigerians have raised concerns over the consistent borrowings of Nigeria from China. Under Buhari’s administration, Nigeria has borrowed $2.02bn as loans from China, data obtained from the Debt Management Office showed.
According to the statistics, Nigeria’s total debt from China as of June 30, 2015 stood at $1.38bn, however, as of March 31, the country’s debt portfolio from China had risen to $3.40bn.
