President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered his ministers to submit reports of their discussions with people in their respective states over the recent #EndSARS protests.
Reporters At Large recalls that President Buhari had at last week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting told the Ministers to go and interface with their constituents in a bid to stop the looting and burning of government and private properties by hoodlums as aftermath of the protest against police brutality.
It was gathered that President Buhari has given the cabinet members one week to turn in their reports on their town hall meeting with their consultants.
Speaking at the Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, disputed the allegations that the looting and rioting was not caused by the military shootings. He insisted that there was already violence in some parts of the country before the Lekki incident.
When asked whether President Buhari approved the military action in Lekki as the commander-in-chief, the presidential Spokesman said he would not want to undermine the work of the panel of inquiry looking into the matter.
Speaking on the directives to ministers to visit states to douse tentions in their respective states, Adesina said: “I can tell you because there was another Federal Executive Council meeting yesterday (Wednesday), the president asked for briefs from ministers who went out. Only two had their reports ready as at yesterday because some others were still in their respective states carrying out their assignment.
“So, the president said all of them should turn in their reports through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the incoming week.”
Asked what to expect out of the reports, Adesina said: “Well, it can only be positive.
“One, it will help us to establish the truth to something’s because there are a lot of conjectures, colourations, outright falsehoods, fake news and all that. The ministers can come with what is near authentic based on the consultations they are going to make.”
