#EndSARS promoters must face the music, says Presidency

THE Presidency has said those who contributed to the degeneration of the recent #EndSARS protests into the looting and vandalism across the country would be made to face the music.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Buhari made this known on Sunday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme, Sunday Politics.

The Central Bank of Nigeria froze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS champions while another promoter of the movement, Modupe Odele, was prevented from travelling last week and had her passport seized by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The decision of the CBN made some prominent members of the #EndSARS protests representing the youths at the ongoing Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State government to refuse to attend the panel on Friday.

The development forced the panel to postponed its sitting because it could not form the quorum.

When asked whether his principal was aware of the development, Shehu said the protesters must face the law.

He said, “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.

“Everyone witnessed the massive looting of public and private properties particularly in Lagos, Calabar, Plateau, Taraba and some other states, even the FCT.

“Now, the laws of the country must be allowed to decide, to rule on wrongdoing on the part of anybody.

“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.”

He added that some politicians who promoted the #EndSARS demonstrations including those of the Peoples Democratic Party should “publicly denounce” the attendant destruction caused by the protest.