Pro-Buhari group brands Saraki’s remark on #ENDSARS protest irresponsible

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) on Wednesday knocked the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, over his remarks on the #ENDSARS protests.

Saraki had during the week blamed the government for the #ENDSARS anniversary protest.

The ex-Senate President, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, said the government failed to resolve issues raised by the youths during last year’s protest.

However, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the BMO said Saraki’s remarks were irresponsible and unbecoming of a statesman.

The statement read: “We consider the position of Dr. Saraki as totally at variance with all the measures the Federal Government has taken towards addressing the issues that led to the #END SARS protest. First, we need to remind Saraki that in the aftermath of the protests, the Federal Government scrapped the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as an immediate response.

“The Federal Government also set up the Police Trust Fund which will ensure that one per cent of the federal revenue is paid into the account; the government has also voted N13.3billion for community policing across the country as a way of bringing policing closer to the people and ensuring adequate security, as well as initiated plans through the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission to upwardly review police salaries and allowances.

READ ALSO: Nothing done to resolve issues that caused #EndSARS protests, Saraki laments

The group also reminded the ex-Senate President on the establishment of various judicial panels of inquiry by state governments to unearth the remote and immediate causes of the riots that resulted from the #ENDSARS protests.

It added: “Since then the panels have sat in a transparent manner, and even awarded several millions of naira as compensations to victims of the riots, and the payments are being made as directed by the panels without let or hindrance.

“We also want to remind Dr. Bukola Saraki that in his attempt to capitalise on the #ENDSARS for partisan political gain, he wrongly admitted that protesters were killed at the Lekki Tollgate, yet till today there has not been any verifiable evidence from any quarter that any protester was mowed down by the military or the police at the Lekki toll gate.

“We, therefore, find it disingenuous and cynical of the former Senate President to descend into the arena with the only intent to make political capital out of a national issue, and paint the Federal Government black.”

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