… ‘We’re paying staff salaries of 100,000 MSMEs’

President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian youths to engage his administration constructively in providing solutions to myriad problems confronting the nation.

He said he had accepted the five-point demand presented to him by the youths during their protests against police brutality, adding that after promptly granting the first request – disbanding the dreaded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, measures had been put in place to address the remaining four.

The President made these pronouncements in a nationwide broadcast on Thursday night.

He said, “As a democratic government, we listened to, and carefully evaluated the five-point demands of the protesters. And, having accepted them, we immediately scrapped SARS, and put measures in place to address the other demands of our youth.

On approving the termination of SARS, I already made it clear that it was in line with our commitment to the implementation of extensive police reforms.”

Buhari added, “I therefore call on our youths to discontinue the street protests and constructively engage government in finding solutions. Your voice has been heard loud and clear and we are responding.”

He said the administration was doing everything possible to advance the progress of the youths and enumerated some of the programmes targeted at improving their lots.

For instance, he said the government was currently “paying 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.”

Buhari said, “Government has put in place measures and initiatives principally targeted at youths, women and the most vulnerable groups in our society. These included our broad plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years; the creation of N75 billion National Youth Investment Fund to provide opportunities for the youths and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund.”

The President, however, said that while the government was willing to accede to the demands of Nigerians, it should not be considered to be weak.

He said, “In the circumstances, I would like to appeal to protesters to note and take advantage of the various well-thought-out initiatives of this administration designed to make their lives better and more meaningful, and resist the temptation of being used by some subversive elements to cause chaos with the aim of truncating our nascent democracy.

“For you to do otherwise will amount to undermining national security and the law and order situation. Under no circumstances will this be tolerated.”

He said it was thus worrisome that after the demands were met, the protesters failed to back down.

He said: “I must warn those who have hijacked and misdirected the initial, genuine and well-intended protest of some of our youths in parts of the country, against the excesses of some members of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).”

He also said, “The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other enactments; but this right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens, and the necessity to operate within the law.

“As a democratic government, we listened to, and carefully evaluated the five-point demands of the protesters. And, having accepted them, we immediately scrapped SARS, and put measures in place to address the other demands of our youth.

“On approving the termination of SARS, I already made it clear that it was in line with our commitment to the implementation of extensive Police reforms.

“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.

“The result of this is clear to all observers: human lives have been lost; acts of sexual violence have been reported; two major correctional facilities were attacked and convicts freed; public and private properties completely destroyed or vandalised; the sanctity of the Palace of a Peace Maker, the Oba of Lagos has been violated. So-called protesters have invaded an International Airport and in the process disrupted the travel plans of fellow Nigerians and our visitors.”

Even as he acknowledged the concerns of Nigeria’s neighbours and the international community, he urged them to always “seek to know all the facts available before taking a position or rushing to judgment and making hasty pronouncements.”

“This government respects and will continue to respect all the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people, but it will not allow anybody or groups to disrupt the peace of our nation,” he added.