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Tag: Governors

  • Breaking: Buhari, 36 governors in ‘closed door’ meeting over insecurity

    Breaking: Buhari, 36 governors in ‘closed door’ meeting over insecurity

    Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind ‘closed door; with governors of the 36 states of the federation in Abuja.

    The meeting was said to have focused on security challenges in some parts of the country, especially Northeast.

    Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant on New Media to Buhari disclosed this on his twitter handle.

    He said the President would also address the National Assembly on the same issue on Thursday.

    “President @MBuhari this afternoon, held a closed-door meeting with all the 36 state governors of the Federation, the meeting focused more on the security challenges in some parts of the country.

    “The President will also address the National Assembly on the same issue on Thursday,” he tweeted.

    Also, Lauretta Onochie, an aide to Buhari on social media, had said on that the president would address a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday.

    “President @MBuhariwill address a joint session of the National Assembly @nassnigeria on Thursday 10th December 2020,” Lauretta tweeted.

    The House of Representatives had recently invited Buhari over the killing of 43 farmers in the Zabarmari community in Borno State.

    The lawmakers took the decision last week Tuesday while adopting a motion of urgent national importance by Satomi Ahmed.

    However, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced last Wednesday that the President had agreed to honour the invitation.

    “We have agreed on a date and he will meet with the House to address the situation. We have a fixed date but we will communicate with you.

    “He is a perfect democrat; he will come to the House to address members in the nearest future,” Gbajabiamila stated after meeting President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

  • SERAP to Buhari: Stop governors bid to borrow N17trn from Pension funds

    SERAP to Buhari: Stop governors bid to borrow N17trn from Pension funds

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Director-General and Board of the National Pension Commission to use their statutory powers to stop the 36 state governors from borrowing or withdrawing N17 trillion from the pension funds purportedly for ‘infrastructural development.”

    The organisation said this in a letter dated December 5, 2020, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare.

    The organisation said, “Allowing the governors to borrow from pension funds would be detrimental to the interest of the beneficiaries of the funds, especially given the vulnerability of pension funds to corruption in Nigeria, and the transparency and accountability deficits in several states.”

    SERAP said, “It is patently unjust and contrary to the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Pension Reform Act, and the country’s international anti-corruption and human rights obligations for the Federal Government and state governors to repeatedly target pension funds as an escape route from years of corruption and mismanagement in ministries, departments and agencies.”

    SERAP expressed “serious concerns that the proposed borrowing by the 36 state governors from the pension funds would lead to serious losses of retirement savings of millions of Nigerians.”

    Part of the letter read, “This proposed borrowing faces the risks of corruption and mismanagement, and would ultimately deny pensioners the right to an adequate standard of living and trap more pensioners in poverty. Rather than devising ways to address pensioner poverty, governments at all levels would seem to be pushing to exacerbate it.”

    “Allowing the governors to borrow money from the pension funds would amount to a fundamental breach of constitutional provisions, the Pension Reform Act, and Nigeria’s international obligations, as well as fiduciary duties imposed by these legal instruments on all public officers to prevent pension funds from unduly risky investments, and to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of pension funds.”

  • Killings: El-Rufai calls for decentralisation of police, says governors frustrated, helpless

    Killings: El-Rufai calls for decentralisation of police, says governors frustrated, helpless

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is unhappy with the security challenges in the country and dissatisfied with the roles of the state governors, as provided for in the Nigerian Constitution.

    Governor El-Rufai, made the remarks during an interview session on Channels Television, monitored by TheNEwsGuru.com (TNG).

    He stressed that the recent #EndSARS protest by youths against police brutality in parts of the country has exposed the inability of the governors despite being called the Chief Security Officers of their states.

    “We are all frustrated. I am frustrated in my state, many governors are frustrated in their states; we are called chief security officers only in name, we have no control over cohesive instruments of the state,” the governor said on Politics Today.

    He added, “We are almost helpless. The #EndSARS protest clearly showed the limit to the control of governors over the police and the military.

    “Some of us have more influence than others, but to a large extent, you ask the commissioner of police to do something and he has to clear with the Inspector-General of Police; this is the reality.

    “We are not in control of the police, I don’t determine who gets posted to my state as CP and if I give him directives, he can decide to flout the directives. So, we are all frustrated.”

    Governor El-Rufai believes decentralising the police force will go a long way in addressing the security problems bedevilling the nation.

    According to him, Nigeria is the only country in the world that is a federation that has only one police force.

    The governor stated that the governors had engaged in arguments that states should be allowed to have their own police, while local governments should be allowed to have community police.

    He noted that most state governments were responsible for the running cost of the police such as vehicles, fuel, communication, while the Federal Government was only responsible for the payment of the salaries of policemen.

    Governor El-Rufal, therefore, stressed the need to recruit more personnel into the police force and ensure they were rightly deployed into designated areas of duty.

    “The number of policemen we have in Nigeria is inadequate, it is less than half of what we need and a large percentage of them are engaged in non-police duties like carrying handbags of the wives of important people.

    “We need to have a greater footprint of police in Nigeria and the only way to achieve that in a fast track manner is to amend the Constitution and put policing on the concurrent list, as recommended by the APC True Federalism Committee so that we have more policemen.”

  • Borno massacre questions national security architectur – Governors

    Borno massacre questions national security architectur – Governors

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) said the weekend massacre of 110 rice farmers in Borno state by Boko Haram has raised serious questions about the national security architecture.

    The forum, in a statement by its Chairman and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Kayode Fayemi, described the attack as morally reprehensible.

    Fayemi said that the governors were concerned that the carnage was degenerating beyond explicable limits.

    The farmers were killed by Boko Haram Garin Kwashebe, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday.

    He said that the attack brought back ugly memories of several dastardly attacks on soft targets in the state.

    Fayemi noted that the farmers were attacked while harvesting their produce totally oblivious of the danger that awaited them in nearby bushes.

    He said that the method was consistent with the senseless bombings of busy markets, bus stations, schools and abattoirs whenever the terrorists felt overpowered by the security operatives.

    “This sad narrative raises serious questions on the general security situation in the country and around the capability of the nation’s security architecture.

    “It also raises questions on whether or not there are adequate arrangements to protect lives and property.

    “Since insurgency engulfed the country more than a decade ago, each time it seems like the situation is coming under control, the enemy strikes again. This has happened consistently.”

    He said that the catalogue of destruction had an adverse effect on everything in the state and the country at large.”

    Fayemi said that the NGF would collectively review those issues at its next meeting to forge the way forward.

  • ‘Dictator’ Wike may push more ‘unhappy’ governors out of PDP – Umahi

    ‘Dictator’ Wike may push more ‘unhappy’ governors out of PDP – Umahi

    Ebonyi Governor David Umahi has alleged the dictatorial tendencies of his Rivers counterpart, Nyesom Wike, were destroying the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Umahi was reacting to a statement by Wike, who said he the Ebony Governor left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of his desperation to be President come 2023.

    Umahi spoke on Arise TV interview programme monitored on Wednesday.

    He said Wike’s dictatorial tendencies and overbearing influence on running of the party affairs have made other Governors unhappy with him.

    He warned Wike to desist from attacking him as it would be very dangerous for both of them.

    He said: “I refused to join issues with Wike because he is my friend. But Wike must know that he is a dictator.

    “Wike must know that one person cannot be called a crowd. Wike must know that a lot of governors in PDP are not very happy with him. He remote controls the party.

    “He (Wike) said that I made my brother the Vice Chairman. I fund the PDP southeast from A to Z. And he has forgotten that he singlehandedly made Secondus the chairman. He has forgotten that he wanted to impose one of his own as minority Leader of the House.

    “There is nothing that happens in PDP without his authorisation. He once said that PDP National Working Committee members are beggars and bribe takers. I have asked him that let’s not take on ourselves or else it will be very dangerous.”

    He added: “So let’s us face the party, the party does not belong to him. And this is by no means personal and he is demonstrating the dictatorial tendencies in him by taking on me, a fellow governor. And that is very shameful”.

    Umahi warned unless there was a change in the mode of doing things in PDP from a situation where it is being remote controlled, more Governors will like leave the party.

    “APC does more consultation and anybody can contravene this that PDP working committee is being remote controlled and that is the truth and it is very dangerous and all the governors know that.

    “You cannot stay in your state and you will be remote controlling what happens in other states. Unless that changes you will see a lot of governors leaving the party,” he warned

    Governor Umahi also said he is not desperate to be President.

    He said he will be a happy man if a President of Southeast extraction is elected in 2023 even if that person is not him.

  • EndSARS: Of governors and COVID palliatives, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    EndSARS: Of governors and COVID palliatives, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon
    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, can’t thank enough #EndSARS protesters for coming to her “defence” against the charge of abuse of public trust in the administration of her portfolio.
    For months, Mrs Farouq was the subject of scorn and odium, in her attempts to convince a citizenry sceptical of even the most genuine of government intentions and actions. And like a lone voice in the wilderness, she shouted herself hoarse to no avail.
    The more she defended her ministry’s activities in the management of COVID-19 pandemic funds and relief materials, the more she met with doubts as to the veracity of her seemingly wild claims of having reached “every Nigerian household” with palliatives, to mitigate the effects of the novel coronavirus.
    The minister was accused of not only hoarding the COVID-19 palliatives, and shared out a chunk to patronize government officials and her cronies, but also of inflating or outrightly cooking up figures supposedly utilized daily to reach mostly vulnerable Nigerians hardest hit by economic hardship even prior to COVID-19.
    With little or no cover coming her way from the government, Mrs Farouq couldn’t have dreamt, imagined or wished for a “lifeline” from #EndSARS protesters.
    Within officialdom, protests and protesters, such as #EndSARS’, are irritants, and Mrs Farouq, like her colleagues and superiors in government, could’ve belly-ached over the protests that resulted in needless loss of lives, and grounding of the tottering economy.
    But here she’s being “vindicated” over allegations, which had dogged her ministry, and impugned her integrity, and that of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.
    Actually on that front, critics had falsely publicized that Mrs Farouq was betrothed to Buhari, and that she’s reportedly appointed to take charge of the all-important Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, to act as conduit for financial sleaze on behalf of the government.
    Yet, an Esan proverb says: “It’s the Angel (patron-Saint) that fetches firewood for one without an axe.” Having no armour to ward off the “weapons fashioned against her,” Mrs Farouq waited on providence to intercede on her behalf, and “shame” her traducers.
    And the intercession came from unlikely sources: hoodlums that hijacked #EndSARS protests nationwide, to attack and loot “warehouses” suspected to harbour COVID-19 palliatives, mainly distributed by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the states, to alleviate the basic needs of the populace.
    The looting spree by the hoodlums confirmed swirling speculations, especially in the urban centres, that palliatives, earmarked for tens of millions of the disadvantaged in the society, were “hoarded” by politicians, particularly state governors.
    Because they knew the “warehouses” – they’d seen aides to government officials drive out of the compounds with goods – or pointed out by “whistle blowers,” the hoodlums stormed, attacked, looted, and torched the palliatives havens after their “operations.”
    The hoodlums went for daily consumables, such as food stuffs, confectionaries and toiletries; clothing and bedding materials; home and office appliances; and agricultural materials and equipment.
    Consider the “exhibits” recovered by the police from suspected hoodlums in several states: Bags of rice, beans, tubers of yams, cartons of indomine and beverages; spraying machines and agro-chemicals; surgical gloves, essential drugs and medical equipment; spanners and screw drivers; tricycles and motorcycles; and air conditioners, computers and other electronic gadgets.
    Sadly, while laying hands on any disposable items, the hoodlums looted medical consumables and appliances, many of them supplied by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a Private Sector task force partnering the Federal Government, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the sole aim of combating the virus.
    The magnitude of the looting alarmed state governors, who hardly publicly acknowledged such materials from the federal government, nor sided with Mrs Farouq’s claim that billions worth of palliatives were dispatched to the states for distribution to their people.
    Thanks to the hoodlums, the governors have been exposed for what they are: Self-centered rulers, who have scant regards for the wellbeing and welfare of the people that voted them into power.
    During elections, politicians, with promises baked in gimmickry, would canvass for people’s vote, but thereafter would abandon or con them, which the hoarding of the palliatives represents.
    The “good news” is that Mrs Farouq can enjoy a breather, and “forgive” her critics, as the state governors have been exposed as the “real” hoarders of the COVID-19 palliatives.
    The minister, in the wake of a visit to the Emir of Gusau in Zamfara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, fielded questions from reporters on the story surrounding the looting of palliatives in the states.
    Her words: “I’m aware many people have made various spurious allegations and accusations against my person and my ministry over the way we distributed Federal Government palliatives to cushion the effect of COVID-19.
    “I have always said I am carrying out my duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability, and with fairness to all parts of the country. Now that they (critics) have realized their mistakes, l will only pray to God to forgive us all.”
    But how did the governors explain the accusation of deceiving their people? They came out with mix-messages: * We didn’t hoard the palliatives. * We warehoused the items to be distributed soon. * They were not COVID-19 palliatives, but materials recently received for distribution to flood victims. * The palliatives were not from the federal government, but sourced internally, for any eventuality.
    What lame excuses! If the governors didn’t hoard the palliatives, why would the goods be warehoused for long without distribution to the people? What’s more “raining day” or “eventuality” than the timely amelioration of the hardship faced by the people amid the COVID-19 pandemic? Who would the governors distribute the palliatives to if those to whom they’re intended were all dead?
    The governors are clever by half with their diluted alibis. Polity watchers know the palliatives were hoarded, and for future political self-interest: to bandy as their “dividend of democracy” to the people, to prosecute elections: off-season, council or 2023 polls.
    But while the governors are left to stew in their own juice, Mrs Farouq can afford to laugh in the faces of her legion of critics for “falsely” accusing her of hoarding COVID-19 palliatives.
    * Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
  • Governors respond to allegations of hoarding looted COVID-19 palliatives

    Governors respond to allegations of hoarding looted COVID-19 palliatives

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Monday denied allegations that governors hoarded palliatives meant for distribution to Nigerians in order to ameliorate their sufferings during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    According to the forum, governors have held several meetings since the #EndSARS street protests started to address concerns of members of the public and that they identified calls for justice and an end to police brutality.

    Towards this end, the forum noted that governors have since set up judicial panels of inquiry to look into such cases.

    This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Governors and the CACOVID Palliatives,’ signed by the Head, Media and Public Affairs of the NGF, Abudulrazaque Bello-Barkindo.

    The statement read in part, “The NGF regrets the loss of lives and property occasioned by the violent protests that erupted, and calls for calm.

    “The NGF reemphasises and corrects the impression that palliatives found in warehouses that were broken into in Lagos and some other states were kept in storage for members of the society, especially our vulnerable citizens.

    “The erroneous impression in the public domain that these palliatives were hoarded is not just inaccurate, entirely erroneous and untrue but also mischievous, to say the least.”

    Bello-Barkindo further said, “For the avoidance of doubt, some of the palliatives had the CACOVID stamp embossed on them, meaning that their source is unambiguous.

    “As we know, CACOVID operations are mainly domiciled in Lagos, being the headquarters of most of the public-spirited organisations, corporate bodies and individuals that came together to form the Coalition Against COVID-19 -CACOVID.

    “Until mid-October, when the NGF had its last meeting, up to ten states had not participated in the flag-off ceremonies for the distribution of palliatives in their states. This was because the items meant for distribution in these states had not been completely received from CACOVID.

    “Some other states that still had palliatives in their warehouses chose to keep a strategic reserve ahead of a projected second wave of COVID-19.

    “As of a couple of weeks ago, some states were still receiving palliatives from the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.”

    The NGF declared that no state has been involved in or has hoarded any palliatives.

    It also assured all contributors to the palliatives that prior to the looting of these warehouses, states had kept full accounts of all the items received and distributed.

  • Governors, Government people part of Nigeria’s problem-Mr Eazi

    Governors, Government people part of Nigeria’s problem-Mr Eazi

    Nigerian singer, Mr.Eazi has stated that former governors and other government officials who are now coming out to speak about the turbulence in the country are all part of the problem.

     

    In his tweets, the singer, while cautioning the youths not to get carried away, said the old politicians have been killing the country for years with corruption.

    He wrote: “Guys pls don’t get it twisted all these old Governors & Government people coming out to speak like them righteous are all part of the problem!! They started this!! They might have not killed us with Gun but they killed us for years with corruption #ENDBADGOVERNANCE

     

    “Uncle what did u do when you were governor!! Asides make the future bleak for future generations by putting our money in ur pocket , what did you do when you were minister? You are the root of the cancer that is Bad Governance!! You are the cancer #ENDBADGOVERNANCE”.

     

  • Nigeria Governors’ forum begs #ENDSARs protesters to end protest

    Nigeria Governors’ forum begs #ENDSARs protesters to end protest

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has appealed to #EndSARS protesters to call off their nationwide protests.

    The forum made the call in a communiqué issued by its Chairman and Ekiti State Governor Mr Kayode Fayemi, in Abuja on Monday after its 20th emergency meeting.

    “The continuation of the protest has exposed the fragile economic fundamentals of the country, particularly as criminal elements and hoodlums have hijacked the protests by maiming innocent citizens, looting and destroying properties.’’

    The forum said that it deliberated extensively on the nationwide protests and issues relating to the development.

    The governors condemned the attack on Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun by armed youths while the governor was addressing protesters in Osogbo.

    They told the protesters to dialogue with government at both national and state levels to ensure that the protests were not taken over by hoodlums, who were instigating breakdown in law and order nationwide.

    “The governors resolved to activate a judicial panel of inquiry to receive all cases of police brutality by officers of the disbanded SARS unit.

    “Each state is also expected to kick-start a compensation mechanism for all victims.

    “The forum resolved to endorse the call by demonstrators for improved governance, predicated on an enforcement regime that takes into cognisance the fundamental human rights and liberties of all citizens in the country, ” the communique read.

    The NGF disclosed that the body had also resolved to act on every demand made by the #EndSARS protesters.

    It, however, expressed concern over the shifting nature of the demands, saying that the development creates uncertainty over the exact expectation and ultimate goal of the protesters.

  • #EndSARS: Governors tell IGP to halt creation of SWAT, call for review of police remuneration

    #EndSARS: Governors tell IGP to halt creation of SWAT, call for review of police remuneration

    The 36 state governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Adamu Mohammed Adamu to put on hold the creation of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and embark on wider consultation with Nigerians.

    The resolution was contained in the communiqué issued after the meeting held with the IGP at the end of the NGF’s 19th teleconference meeting chaired by its chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.

    The governors who endorsed the ongoing plan to carry out far-reaching reforms geared towards greater effectiveness, accountability and transparency, however, described the creation of SWAT as ill-timed.

    To this end, they urged the IGP to immediately convene a meeting of all stakeholders and agree on a format of engagement with all state officials in order to address concerns, adding that the state leadership should meet simultaneously nationwide, to address matters arising.

    The communiqué read: “We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, 14th October 2020, deliberated on a number of issues affecting the country particularly the nationwide protests, riots and demonstrations against the activities of officials of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and the Nigerian Police.

    “The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Adamu Mohammed Adamu, briefed the Forum on protests against SARS which technically started since 2017. This would be the first time that the government is disbanding the unit.

    “Following its dissolution, a new, strictly intelligence-driven Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, will be constituted to carry out tactical operations across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

    “The IGP informed the Forum that after a psychological and medical evaluation, SWAT Officers will be trained and posted to all State Commands – about 50 per state, where they will operate only on intelligence-driven operation.

    “They will not take part in routine operations but will operate specifically on intelligence after which they will return to their Commands.

    ICYMI: Presidential Panel On Police Reforms Agrees To Meet All Demands By #EndSARS Protesters

    “The IGP assured governors that he will leverage the provisions of the new Police Act 2020 to carry out extensive reforms within the Police and he pledged for the support, understanding and guidance of governors to embark on the new reforms.

    “In response, the Forum acknowledged the concerns of many Nigerians especially youths that have been affected by the excesses of some officials of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and the Nigeria Police.

    “This notwithstanding, Forum members noted the efforts of officials of FSARS in their states, as they have greatly assisted in containing the increasing spate of kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, and other high-end crimes particularly in the Northern states, where containing these criminal activities would have otherwise been very challenging.

    “Members, therefore, expressed concern about the sweeping decision to scrap F-SARS even while acknowledging the need to address its excesses.

    “After deliberation and extensive discussions, the governors were unanimous in their support for the IGP and endorsed his plan to carry out far-reaching reforms geared towards greater effectiveness, accountability and transparency.

    “Members called for increased regularity in the meetings of the Nigeria Police Council in order for it to effectively carry out its regulatory and supervisory roles as contained in the Nigerian Constitution.

    “On the IGP’s plan to create SWAT, governors stated that even though the effort might be necessary and in good faith, they argued that the timing is inauspicious as the mood of the nation negates it and may understandably be misinterpreted as a surreptitious move to dress F-SARS in another garb.

    “Governors agreed that there was the need for greater consultation with the public before any decision is taken.

    “Governors advised the IGP to immediately convene a meeting of all stakeholders and agree on a format of engagement with all state officials in order to address concerns; and that state leadership should meet simultaneously nationwide, to address matters arising.

    Lagos To Compensate Victims Of #EndSARS Protest With N200m ― Sanwo-Olu

    “Governors emphasized that reforms must include the training and retraining of operatives on the rules of engagement with the general public.

    “Policing in Nigeria must ensure freedom for all Nigerians to carry out their lawful and legitimate businesses anywhere in the country without fear of harassment, intimidation or molestation.

    “Governors advised that throughout the reform process, the room for consultation may include sessions and direct feedback from the public, stressing that there is no single solution that applies to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

    “Governors were unequivocal that all police officers who participated in the abuse or actions that might have led to injury or the death of innocent citizens must be fished out and brought to book while other Nigerians who have been adversely affected by police brutality or other actions that were injurious to them or their loved ones, should be compensated.

    “Each state is to set up a panel for compensation to all victims and see to it that the necessary compensation is made to those who deserve them. This must be systematically done to ensure that nobody who deserves to be compensated, is left out.

    “The forum directed its secretariat to work with the police authority to develop a framework for setting up a panel of enquiry across all states to determine claims and compensation.

    “Governors are aware that some states have already started engaging protesters and urged all states that have not commenced the same to invite all stakeholders in the matter to resolve these issues.

    “Members also recommended that the IGP, the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Council should immediately review the Remuneration and Emoluments of police officers and explore ways to fund this in order to incentivize and motivate police officers who have pledged themselves in service of the country.

    “Governors enjoined the IGP to be ready to forge stronger partnerships with state governments and the civil society to improve civil relations between the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Public.

    “Members also agreed that the concerns of the public went beyond a need for Police/FSARS reforms and included a demand for better governance.

    “They noted the need to engage, consult the public and take decisions that address the underpinning issues leading to the protests.

    “Members noted that some states had already started the process of engaging protesters and urged all states to engage all stakeholders for a collectively agreed resolution.

    “Finally, members praised Mr. President who has acknowledged that the protests and demonstrations reflect genuine concerns of many Nigerians and urged for a speedy implementation of all the agreed points,” the communiqué read.