Bestselling author, Chimamanda Adichie, has written an address she says the President Muhammadu Buhari should have given to Nigerians in a national broadcast over #EndSARS protests in the country.
Recall that Nigerians online and offline have bashed the president over his national wide broadcast on Thursday saying it deliberately left out important issues.
However, Adichie in a piece titled, ‘The Address President Buhari Could Have Given: A speculative piece’ on Friday, saying Buhari should have acknowledged the killing of peaceful protesters by soldiers in Lekki, Lagos, accepted blame for it and ordered an immediate investigation.
She wrote: “I condole with the families of those who were killed and with all those who were injured. I have ordered an immediate investigation and have directed that a report be presented to me in the next five days.
“As commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, the ultimate responsibility is mine. This is not a time for vague words or generic promises. This is a time for action and I am determined to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.”
She added that the President should also have directed that all hospital bills of those injured in the attack should be paid by the Federal Government and announced compensation for the families of victims.
The President addressed the nation on Thursday, two days after the Lekki killings and two weeks after youths demanding disbanding of SARS began protests. Buhari had come under heavy public criticism for his silence after the killings and attendant unrest across the country.
Eminent Nigerians and #EndSARS protesters also berated Buhari over his failure to comment on the shooting of protesters by soldiers in Lagos in his broadcast, saying it was devoid of empathy.
The writer added that the President should have also made it clear in his address that abuse of innocent citizens would not be tolerated “in the name of law and order”.
She said the President’s address should also have stated: “Let me also acknowledge that mistakes were made in the security provided during the protests. Thugs should never have been allowed to infiltrate the protests. There were failures of policing during the protests.
She concluded by saying Buhari’s address should have noted that he would address Nigerians again in another one week and “update you on the ongoing plans to restore our country”. She said the President’s address should also have stated: “Let me also acknowledge that mistakes were made in the security provided during the protests. Thugs should never have been allowed to infiltrate the protests. There were failures of policing during the protests.
She concluded by saying Buhari’s address should have noted that he would address Nigerians again in another one week and “update you on the ongoing plans to restore our country”.