On October 22nd 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari addressed Nigerians on the EndSARS protest, this came after several calls for him to address the nation in the face of burning anger and violent protests.
In the address the President notably failed to address issues such as the Lekki shootings that reportedly left many persons dead. According to various analysts the speech lacked empathy and failed to address germane needs of Nigerians especially those that led to the attacks.
The President while expressing pain on death of Security personnels warned that any protest that would be seen as an affront on the nation would not be tolerated.
According to him, the government has met the demands of the protestors and thus there should be no need for street protests. He also expressed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that reforms of the police including improvement in welfare holds.
However after his speech, many Nigerians have taken to micro-blogging platform Twitter to express their disappointment.
In a tweet, popular entertainer, Adekunle Gold who led Nigerians to protesting at Houston, noted that he had felt he was the one who did not hear the President condoling Nigerians over the shootings at Lekki, Lagos.
The United States of America through a delegation also paid a visit to the country’s Vice President , Professor Yemi Osinbajo demanding that deaths at the Lekki shooting should be investigated.
The delegation that visited the Vice President included; US Assistant Secretary of the Bureau for Democracy,Human Rights and Labour Bob Destro: US Assistant Secretary Bureau for Conflict stabilization Operations, Denise Natali: the Counselor of the US Department of State, Thomas Ulrich Brechbuhl among others. The Vice President told the delegation that the reform embarked upon by the government is a game changer.
The Vice President noted that atleast 13 states in the Country including Lagos have since established Judicial Panels to seek justice and to compensate those whose rights have been breached.
Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu also apologized to Lagosians for failing them while calling for a stop to destruction of properties in the state. Lagos state had witnessed attacks on over 17 Police stations with some of the stations razed down by hoodlums.
Media houses, corporate organizations and many more were also not spared in the attacks.
The leading Opposition party in the country, People’s Democratic Party also described the speech as failing the empathy test, the party condemned the speech as a ridicule.
The Feminist Coalition, a leading organization that mobilized funding for the #EndSARS Campaign also have asked protestors to stay back home stating that it is returning to its core function.
South Western governors also pleaded with youths in the region to stop destroying the region’s heritage, according to them, the region has been infiltrated, thus a need for unity by South Westerners to preserve the Unity of the region and rich history.
The President also held a state security meeting with former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan among many other persons in attendance. He reportedly told participants at the meeting that the #EndSARS protests became violent despite the government conceding to the protestors demand.
The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwoolu also relaxed the curfew in the state which was imposed on Tuesday following violent attacks perpetrated by hoodlums in the state.
More states have been relaxing their curfew despite worrying concerns on the maintainance of orderliness in the country.
