By Gabriel Atumeyi
Governors and other stakeholders of the southeast region have commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the handling of the #EndSARS protest that rocked the country in the month of October.
They made this known when they received a delegation of the federal government led by the president’s chief of staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
The inspector general of Police, director general, Department of State Services, Hon. Minister of Information and federal ministers from the South East were also part of the delegation which met at the Enugu State Government House on Saturday.
In a communique made available at the end of the meeting by the governor of Ebonyi State and chairman, South East Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi, they said the way and manner in which the protest was handled prevented it from escalating further and rapidly restored law and order.
“We thank Mr. President for the speed and restraint with which he handled the demand of peaceful #ENDSARS protesters, especially his commitment to drive Police Reform and mainstream youth empowerment and also for his courage to deal with hoodlums, criminals and those who hijacked the initial protests, to hide under the peaceful protest and kill, maim innocent citizens, security agents and public and private properties.
“We sympathise with the families of civilians and security agencies, who lost their lives and properties during the ENDSARS protests (both peaceful and criminal protests).
“South East Governors have set up Panels of Enquiry to deal with all infractions of human rights of our people and security agencies, compensation funds for all civilians and security men who lost their lives during the protest.
“We have also set up empowerment/employment fund to help more of our youth earn their lawful daily means of livelihood.”
They also commended the president on the support given by the government to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) chairmanship candidacy race of former minister of Finance, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.
“Mr. President, we thank you so much for all your kind commitment in the struggle of our sister, Prof. Okonjo lweala to become the DG of the World Trade Organisation.
“We are particularly grateful with the way you have engaged the world leaders to see her through the process. May God crown your efforts with success- Amen,” the statement added.
The governors further commended Buhari for his administration’s handling of key infrastructural projects in the region, while seeking more support to overcome its problems.
“We thank Mr. President for all the great works he is doing at the Second Niger Bridge, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, dualised road of Enugu to Port Harcourt and some other projects in the South East.
“We, therefore, with humility, request our president, the father of our nation, to please look into the demands of the various groups of our people, as presented today, review same with a view to solving them,” they demanded
Furthermore, they requested that the federal government should deploy more security forces to the region to combat criminalities while pledging commitment to ensuring harmony and stability.
“We request a joint operation into all our forests to flush out criminals and killer herdsmen with AK47, while pledging our commitment to continuous co-existence with herdsmen who have been living peacefully with us for years.
“South East people believe in one Nigeria and this is the reason we are in every part of this country erecting infrastructures, living peacefully with our host communities and doing our businesses.
“We pledge to continue to protect all the various ethnic groups living in South East. We enjoin them to go about their businesses peacefully.
“We thank Mr. President, governors and traditional rulers in other parts of Nigeria for their commitment to protect our people, especially during and after the protests. We must continue to live in peace.
“We appreciate Mr. President’s delegation for carefully listening to, engaging with stakeholders and undertaking to report faithfully to Mr. President for his consideration and necessary action.
“We, lgbo leaders stand for an indivisible and united Nigeria, built on love, fairness, equity and justice. We believe that under this platform, we are bigger and stronger.