President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to respect rights and civil liberties of Nigerians.
In a national broadcast on Thursday, President Buhari said that under no circumstances would he tolerate those undermining national security and the law and order.
The violence across parts of the country is orchestrated by the protests of youths calling for the scrapping of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police.
The protests which started on October 8, has developed into a full scale violence that has led to loss of lives and property.
The EndSARS protest ignited by a trending video of the police killing of a young man in Ughelli in oil rich Delta state, has caused some 14 states to impose 24-hour curfew.
Some states, including Lagos, the commercial hub of the country have deployed soldiers to maintain the peace.
The government has ceded to the demands of the protesters, including disbandment of SARS, setting up of judicial panels to hear cases of abuse and Victims Support Funds to compensate victims. Some 37 police officers have been dismissed while 21 will be prosecuted. All arrested protesters and those in detention have been released.
In his first national broadcast since the protests began, President Buhari on Thursday warned those who have hijacked and misdirected the protests.
On October 12, he said he acknowledged the genuine concerns and agitations of the youths regarding the excessive use of force by some members of SARS.
He said that the choice to demonstrate peacefully was a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution.
As a democratic government, he said: “We listened to, and carefully evaluated the five-point demands of the protesters and we immediately scrapped SARS, and put measures in place to address the other demands of our youth.”
“Sadly, the promptness with which we have acted seemed to have been misconstrued as a sign of weakness and twisted by some for their selfish unpatriotic interests,” said President Buhari.
“Human lives have been lost; acts of sexual violence have been reported; two major correctional facilities were attacked and convicts freed; public and private property completely vandalised; the sanctity of the Palace of a Peace Maker, the Oba of Lagos has been violated,” he added.
He said that the protesters have invaded an International Airport and disrupted the travel plans of Nigerians and visitors.
“Let me at this point reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to preserving the unity of this country and would continue to improve good governance and our democratic process, including through sustained engagement,” he said.
He assured the nation that he would continue to ensure that liberty and freedom, as well as the fundamental rights of all citizens, are protected.
“But remember that government also has the obligation to protect lives and properties, as well as the right of citizens to go about their daily businesses freely and protected from acts of violence,” he said.
He added: “Certainly, there is no way whatsoever to connect these bad acts to legitimate expression of grievance of the youth of our country.”
He noted that the spreading of deliberate falsehood through social media that the government was oblivious to the plight of its citizens was a ploy to mislead the citizens.
These, he said, included plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years; and the creation of $245 million National Youth Investment Fund to provide opportunities for the youths and the floating of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund.
He also listed the paying of three months salaries of the staff of 100,000 micro, small - and medium – enterprises; paying for the registration of 250,000 businesses at the Corporate Affairs Commission; giving a grant of N30,000 to 100,000 artisans; and guaranteeing market for the products of traders.
