President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday told Nigerian youths who have been protesting across the country that it was in their interest to keep the peace.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke during the visit of the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment, to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Buhari said in response to the recent EndSARS protest, “Our own generation is on the last lap, we are exiting. It is in the interest of the youth to keep the peace. They want jobs, infrastructure and development.
“I have sent a team led by the Chief of Staff (Prof. Ibrahim Gambari) to go round the country, talk to traditional rulers, who will then talk to the youth. The views of the youth have been heard.”
He said that the current administration inherited severe infrastructural deficits, “and that is what we are fighting to correct. We can’t just sit, fold our hands, and do nothing. We are doing our best within the limits of resources.”
President Buhari rued the fact that COVID-19 has shrunk the global economy, noting that “this is something you can’t see, smell, or hear,” but which has wrought devastation on lives and livelihoods round the world.
On climate change, he said Nigeria was concerned about the recharge of the Lake Chad, which has great implications on security, irregular migration, and livelihoods.
The Deputy Secretary-General was said to be on a courtesy call with her team to flag interest on challenges that concern the UN, particularly COVID-19, climate change, security, and humanitarian responses to the diverse challenges.
