President Muhammadu Buhari has faulted many foreign media organisations over alleged imbalance in the coverage of the #EndSARS protests.
He expressed his displeasure during a closed-door meeting with the 36 state governors at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
President Buhari noted that the foreign press coverage of the #EndSARS violence was not balanced, citing specifically the CNN and BBC, for omitting the number of policemen killed, police stations that were razed, and the prisons that were thrown open for inmates to escape.
“I was disgusted by the coverage, which did not give attention to the policemen that were killed, the stations that were burnt, and prisons that were opened. (They said we are all at fault. We don’t have the sympathy of anyone. We are on our own).’’
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On the issues raised on #EndSARS protest and its hijack by hoodlums to cause mayhem and destroy private and public property, President Buhari sounded a strong warning about reoccurrence, saying that no responsible government will allow that to happen.
“We do not stop anyone from demonstrating, but you don’t set up roadblocks and smash windscreens. Which government will allow that?’’
President Buhari said violent demonstrations will no longer be allowed, adding: “democracy does not mean confusion or lack of accountability.’’
On the eight-month-long strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the President said lecturers had not taken into consideration the larger challenges facing the country.
“Government conceded something. The problem is that they refused to look at the problem of the whole country. The Minister of Labour is working hard at it. It is amazing how ASUU will stay out of classrooms for so long. There’s a need for our elites to understand the challenges facing the country.’’
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