The presidency has said that those who deliberately allowed themselves to go on a rampage of the destruction of life and properties during the EndSARS protest must face the law to account for their action. Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu stated this yesterday while speaking on Channel Television Programme, Sunday Politics.
Accordingly, it was revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria ordered the freezing of 20 accounts allegedly belonging to the #EndSARS promoters while Modupe Odele another promoter of the protest was denied from leaving Nigeria last week and had his passport seized by the Nigerian Immigration Service.
However, when Shehu was asked if Mr. President is aware of the development, he said everything stops at the table of Mr. President, however stated that promoters of anarchy have to face the law and explain their role.
In his statement, “This country has only one president and has only one constitution. President Muhammadu Buhari is responsible for his government. The buck stops on his table.
“We are a country governed by law. There is a constitution —under section 33— that clearly defines the rights of citizens to freely protest in a peaceful way but where a peaceful protest turns into riot, violence, and looting, there is a law and order duty to be performed.
According to the spokesperson, everyone in Nigeria was a witness to what happened during the protest where both public and private properties were destroyed including taking the lives of some policemen in states like Lagos, Calabar, Taraba, Plateau, and Rivers state.
Therefore, he said let allow the law to do its work in fishing out the culprits that were involved in promoting the anarchy.
He added, “I am not particular about any celebrity or promoter but this country has been harmed enormously and people should be prepared to account for what they did.”
Shehu said that including politicians who openly promoted the EndSARS protest/riot including members of the opposition should “Publicly denounce” the attendant destruction caused by the protest.