President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday that the federal government would let the process run its course and will then await statements from state governments that have established committees to investigate police brutality throughout the nation.
The President gave a speech at the State House in Abuja on Thursday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the audience.
“So many state governments are involved and have given different terms of reference to the probe panels. We at the Federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system to work.
“We can’t impose ideas on them. Federal Government has to wait for the reaction of the states,” he said.
The US Secretary of State then said although America and Nigeria have various challenges, security is a common denominator and that improved cooperation is needed “so that the bad guys won’t get the good guys”.
He also referred to the EndSARS investigative panel’s findings as “democracy in action”, emphasising that America, too, has its share of police violence and expressing optimism that required changes would be implemented.
The two also discussed Nigeria’s removal off the radar of countries that violate religious freedom, which Blinken said as “based on facts”.
President Buhari extended his gratitude on behalf of the nation, stressing that Nigerians have religious freedom and that no one is discriminated against because of their beliefs.
Mr Blinken, who had already met virtually with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari early this year, joked that it was now fantastic to see him “mask to mask, hoping that we will soon see face to face”.
