Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has condemned the destructions that followed the peaceful End SARS protest in October.
The official said the perpetrators must face the law.
“If we don’t punish those that caused these damages, others may roll in the hay again,” he said on Sunday.
Amaechi spoke during an assessment of the damages at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters in Lagos, NAN reports.
The former Rivers State Governor said it had been legitimate to protest but illegal to destroy private and government properties.
“This is totally disastrous. it’s not enough to vent your anger about police brutality during this manner.
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How does damaging government property concern the police? Whether you wish it or not, this may be refurbished or rebuilt with government funds.
”That means the funds also belong to those that have set this place ablaze. those that commit crime should be held liable and appropriate punishment administered on them. i used to be a student from 1983 to 1987, that was a period when the Nigerian students were always out on the streets, we never burnt down anything.
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“The rights to protest is defined within the laws of Nigeria, it doesn’t include burning peoples houses or places, it doesn’t include blocking major highways or minor roads. The law said you ought to protest by the side of the road, it didn’t say you ought to protest and block the roads because there are other road users.
“I might not like police brutality and that i didn’t protest. it’s legitimate to protest but it’s illegitimate to require other people’s rights. The rights to protest is defined within the constitution but it doesn’t include burning people’s houses and government properties”, Amaechi stressed.
