Breaking! Buhari Speaks On Lekki Shootings For The First Time

Related stories

Ranked: U.S. International Students by Country

Key Takeaways China and India accounted for more than...

[Video] Tragedy! UK Bound Air India Crashes, Over 204 Passengers Perish

By Abiola Olawale A catastrophic aviation disaster that happened on...

Seeing Opposition In Disarray Gives Me Pleasure, Tinubu Taunts PDP, LP, Others

By Kolawole Ojebisi President Bola Tinubu on Thursday has stated...

Tinubu Denies Stopping INEC From Registering New Parties

By Kolawole Ojebisi President Tinubu has denied stopping the Independent...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday spoke on how his administration would pursue justice for the victims of the Lekki shootings in Lagos.

Nigerians have criticized Buhari for not making reference to the horrific shooting incident by men of the Nigerian military in Lekki during his nationwide address, Thursday.

The President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, explained he decided not to talk on the shooting incident until he had access to all the facts.

He said efforts are underway to get justice for “peaceful protesters who lost their lives,” promising that property owners and business owners affected by the mass destruction across the nation would get justice.

The statement said: “As the Judicial panel of inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government, one of the more dozen states to do so, starts sitting on Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his full support and 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.

“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.

“President Buhari reiterated his appeal for calm, brotherhood and communal harmony, telling Nigerians not to turn on each other in hate as according to him, peace, brotherhood, and inter-communal harmony are central to the nation’s ethos.

“He said it is important that the police and other security agencies move everywhere to restore calm and normalcy as quickly as possible.”

The statement added: “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.”

The President admonished families to reject items looted and brought home by their children.
He stated: “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.”

'dotun Akintomide
'dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
[Video] Tragedy! UK Bound Air India Crashes, Over 204 Passengers PerishTinubu Confers National Honours on Yar'Adua, Kudirat Abiola, Ayo Adebanjo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Humphrey Nwosu, Soyinka, Sam Amuka, Ibru, OthersSeeing Opposition In Disarray Gives Me Pleasure, Tinubu Taunts PDP, LP, OthersTinubu Denies Stopping INEC From Registering New PartiesDemocracy Day: Peter Obi Slams Tinubu for Prioritizing Politics Over the Welfare of NigeriansJune 12: PDP Raises Alarm, Says APC Is Plotting to Impose “One-Party State” on NigeriaDangote Steps Down as Sugar Chairman After Two Decades of LeadershipDemocracy Day: Reject 'Thugs Masquerading As Leaders', Utomi Urges NigeriansHow Nigeria's Money Got Into Foreign Accounts During Abacha's Reign -- Al-MustaphaPanic As Air India Flight To UK With 242 Passengers Crashes Shortly After Take-offADDRESS BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR AT THE JOINT SESSION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN COMMEMORATION OF DEMOCRACY DAY, 2025The Complexities of DecisionsOshiomhole Breaks Silence on Viral Lagos Airport Clash with Air Peace StaffSEC Blasts CBEX Says it remains Banned in Nigeria, as Crypto Platform2027: Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, Others Can't Unseat Tinubu, They're 'Bound To Fail' -- Wike
X whatsapp