Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
After calls from different quarters, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally decided to address the nation on Thursday, October 22, 2020, by 7pm.
The country has been boiling for almost two weeks following protests by youths who asked the government to put an end to a police unit known as Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and police brutality.
The protest, which had remained peaceful, went south a few days ago after the government was accused of sponsoring thugs to disrupt the demonstrators.
On Tuesday night, some military personnel went to the Lekki area of Lagos, where the protest had not recorded any issue, to shoot at the youths, leading to the death of some of them.
This was condemned globally and calls were made from the United States, the United Kingdom, Africa and other places for the Nigerian authorities to stop the attack on peaceful protesters.
Back home, many commentators asked the President to address the nation so as to calm nerves and the Senate, at its plenary on Tuesday, appealed to Mr Buhari to speak on the matter.
On Thursday morning, the President held a meeting with the service chiefs and after the meeting, according to one of the aides of Mr Buhari, the President felt the need to address the nation.
“Following a detailed briefing by security chiefs on the current situation in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast Thursday, October 22, 2020, at 7pm.
“Television, radio and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Radio Nigeria respectively for the broadcast,” a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, disclosed.
