President Muhammadu Buhari has said some Nigerians mistook as weakness, the swift response of his regime to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
The President disclosed this during a live broadcast on #EndSARS protest Thursday evening
Recall that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu, had announced the disbandment of the special police unit amidst the #EndSARS protests.
Meanwhile, the IGP in a swift reaction announced the Special Weapons and Tactics team, SWAT as replacement for the disbanded team.
But the President in his addresse Nigerians on 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.
“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.”