President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the youth to come forward with concrete and practical ideas on how to move the country forward after their protests demanding for end to police brutalities and scraping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (EndSARS).
The President, who appealed to youths to end street protests and participate in meaningful discussions with government aimed at comprehensive reforms to end all forms of police brutality against Nigerians, said this in his message to the maiden National Youth Day celebration yesterday, coinciding with the African Youth Day celebration.
Buhari was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, at the event at the Conference Centre at the Presidential Villa yesterday.
This came against the backdrop of the recent protests against police brutality in the country, leading to the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), shootings by soldiers at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos and looting and arsons across the country.
The President said the Federal Government, ‘‘now wants to hear concrete and practical ideas,’’ from youths, while acknowledging their constitutional right to peaceful protests.