Lawan announced this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.

He said the NASS would also ensure that the government fulfils the commitment it has made to the youths agitating for police reform and good governance.

“I want to re-assure our youths that the NASS will collaborate with the Executives to ensure justice for victims of misconduct and rights abuses by personnel of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police.

“In the same vein, to discourage impunity, we will insist that the perpetrators of the alleged abuses be prosecuted and sanctioned as appropriate.

“We will also work with the Executive to ensure that the five-point demands of the #ENDSARS protesters, which the government has committed itself to, are fully implemented.

“In the unfortunate hijack of the protests, hoodlums unleashed horrifying violence, arson, looting and wanton destruction of public and private property in the country,’’ the statement read in part.

According to Lawan, NASS is fully committed to putting the necessary legislation in place for comprehensive reform of the Police to enhance their institutional integrity and efficiency.

“As we seek a path out of this regrettable crisis, my heart goes out to the victims of the reprehensible violence and criminality witnessed in the last few days in many parts of the country.

“I send my condolences to the families of our security and law enforcement agents who have made the supreme sacrifices in the course of their service to their fatherland.

“I call for a thorough investigation of every criminal act that we have witnessed in the past few weeks with a view to bringing to justice all those elements that have callously destroyed public and private properties.’’

The president of the senate also urged the youths, across the country, to join hands with the authorities in bringing an urgent cessation to the violence.

“I call on our patriotic youths to leave the streets as the government has heard their voices and addressing their grievances to avoid unwittingly providing covers for the criminals and fifth columnists in our midst.’’

On those criminal elements unleashing terror on our cities under the guise of the protest, Lawal urged the security agencies to restore law and order across the country and bring the criminals to justice.

In restoring law and order, he charged the security agencies to do it with the utmost restraint.

“While still grappling with the havoc of COVID-19, the country can ill afford yet another epidemic that has now appeared in the form of the lawlessness that is going on.

“I thank all Nigerian leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians for their interventions towards restoring peace and order after the unfortunate degeneration of the protest into chaos and brigandage in many parts of the country.

“In particular, I thank all Nigerians for their patience and understanding in this trying moment in our dear country.

“I thank you all for your wise counsel to the protesting youths to embrace peace and for the government to be open and sincere in addressing the issues that the youths have raised so clearly,’’ Lawal said.

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Lawan gave the assurance on Thursday at plenary after the Senate was briefed by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC – Kebbi North) on the intervention by the leadership to wade into the matter.

Giving details into the meeting between the Senate delegation and the protesters yesterday, Abdullahi said, “We met with a view to pacifying the protesters and also extending our commiseration with them over what happened.

“They explained that in the course of their peaceful demonstration, they were accosted by some hoodlums, who they alleged were directed by the police to attack them; and how they were able to weather the storm and assemble at the National Assembly to inform us of their travails.

“We sympathised with them and received the oral complaints that they wanted to present to the National Assembly.

“They complained of damages to their vehicles, and some physical injuries that some of them sustained.

Fortunately, there were no major injuries or even violent death.

“We implored them to submit a catalogue of their complaints and the damages or injuries that were inflicted upon them, so that these can be conveyed to the appropriate authorities for interventions.

“Today, the minority leader, as we arranged yesterday, was there on the ground to receive the catalogue of complaints.

“Unfortunately those complains are not ready, so whenever they are ready, the leadership is going to compile and submit them to the appropriate authority for attention.

“I just wanted to inform my colleagues, so that we put this particular issue on record.”

In his remarks, Lawan, who described the demands by the protesters as legitimate, said the National Assembly would prevail on the Executive arm of government to ensure expeditious implementation.

He, however, urged the protesters to go back home so as to give the Federal Government the chance to see to the implementation of their demands.

“We took a motion sponsored by Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu on the challenges that we face, especially with respect to the SARS activities across the country and, of course, we took
far reaching resolutions.

“Nigerians, let me say, have the right to peaceful demonstration. When they feel very strongly about issues, they can do so to call the attention of the leaders of this country for appropriate action to be taken.

“I believe that the government has responded, SARS has been disbanded and all the five demands of the protesters have been accepted.

“What I’ll urge here is if such demands have been accepted, then we should expedite taking action to actualize them.

“I believe that when protesters demands are met, their goal should have been achieved.

Therefore, there is need for our compatriots to go back home and give government the chance to quickly and expeditiously implement those demands.

“Both chambers of the National Assembly have identified with the protests that they are legitimate protests and demands.

“I think the next vital step is for the protests to stop because the initial reasons for the protests have been accepted as facts and government is trying to do everything possible.

“I urge government, and that includes us, that we should push to ensure that those demands of the protesters that the executive side has accepted to implement are implemented as quickly as possible,” Lawan said.

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Lawan made the statement at Tuesday’s plenary in his concluding remarks on a matter of personal explanation into the murder of Jimoh Isiaka by the Police, and attack on the Palace of Soun of Ogbomoso Land during the recent #EndSARS protest in some states across the country.

The Senate President while commenting on the development which was sparked by SARS brutality against Nigerians, described previous conduct of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad as “unacceptable”.

“SARS was funded by public funds and the entire essence of having the Nigeria Police Force is to ensure that there is law and order, and that there is security for our people.

“When SARS turned against the people, it was right for the people to protest peacefully,” Lawan said.

The Senate President also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promising to bring to justice all those involved in perpetrating various atrocities against Nigerians.

He, therefore, prevailed on Nigerians to suspend the #EndSARS protest, particularly in view of the recent disbandment of the police unit by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

Lawan assured that those found culpable of Police brutality against Nigerians would be brought to face the weight of the law.

“I think the protest has yielded the desired result so far, and there may not be need to continue to have protests again when SARS has been disbanded.

“Those culprits who were involved in the killing and maiming of Nigerians will be brought to book.

“I think we should give the government the chance to implement those reforms as quickly as possible,” the Senate President appealed.

Sen. Buhari Abdulfatai (APC-Oyo North), while coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, noted with grief “the death of Jimoh Isiaka and several other promising youth.

He said that their lives were “cut short at their prime during the recent #EndSARS protest, which started on Oct. 8.”

According to the lawmaker, the right to peaceful assembly and free expression as a fundamental principle of any democracy, is enshrined in Section 40 of Nigeria Constitution 1999.

He said the section guarantees the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest.

Abdulfatai decried the #EndSARS protest, which he said, resulted into a confrontation between the security operatives and the protesting youth in some parts of country such as Ogbomoso in Oyo State, where violence was recorded.

“For instance, the Nigeria Police were alleged to have injured seven (7) protesters and shot dead a young man known as Jimoh Isiaka, a Constituent of mine during the protest,” the lawmaker lamented.

He added that as a reaction to the death of Jimoh Isiaka, the palace of the Paramount Ruler of the city, the Soun of Ogbomoso land, was attacked by the protesters who destroyed property and vehicles, with some palace officials sustaining injuries.

Also, Sen. Richas Okorocha (APC-Imo West), kicked against the arrest and detention of #EndSARS protesters across the country by the Police.

He stressed the need for those arrested during the protests to be released from detention unconditionally by the Police so as to calm frayed nerves.

Okorocha called on the Federal Government to prosecute police officers who went out of the rules of engagement to harm Nigerians during the protests.

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Lawan made the call in his opening remarks at the presentation of the 2021 budget estimates to the Joint Session of the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“It is our hope that the 2021 budget will be targeted at consolidation of gains made by the 2020 budget.

“The 2020 budget was targeted at Sustaining Growth and Jobs.”

He said the implementation of the 2020 budget has shown a remarkable improvement over the previous years.

“Certainly, the injection of funds for the various programmes and projects had helped our economy.

“We expect that before the end of this fiscal year, the 2020 budget would have been implemented 100 per cent, this will be a historic feat.

“We need to not only protect jobs but create more,”Lawan said.

He said the eventual passage of the Appropriation Bill 2020 and signing into law in record time was a clear testimony of the benefits of the legislature and the executive working together for the good of the people.

Lawan, however, said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the nation’s plans, as it shut down economies, and affected the income and expenditure projections.

This, he said, necessitated a review of the entire budget, which the National Assembly did with profound sense of purpose, duty and patriotism.

“We were convinced that the steps we took went a long way in stabilising our economy, and in ensuring that funds were provided for critical programmes.

“As we are about to begin another fiscal plan, we shall be influenced by the desire to consolidate on our gains, coming from the hard lessons of the pandemic, and on the urgency of sustaining our diversification programmes,” he said.

Lawan assured that the National Assembly was ready to pass the 2021 budget before the end of the year.

This, he said, would boost planning and enhance productivity and efficiency in the management and application of resources.

“Certainly, the injection of funds for the various programmes and projects had helped our economy.

“The National Assembly approved the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), a plan of the Federal Government, to address the economic challenges of today.

” All efforts should be made to implement the plan, as a number of schemes are designed to keep our Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) afloat.”

Lawan said there was need to re -examine critically the revenue generation, remittances processes of government as the nation revenues plummeted.

This, he said made the government to resort to borrowing to fund the development of some critical infrastructure.

“Recent interactions between our Committees on Finance and National Planning and Economic Matters, with over 200 revenue generating and collection agencies have revealed so much inefficiencies in their systems.

” It was revealed that government loses so much money as a result.

” Similarly, there are so much leakages of moneys that could have easily been available for national development.

“Due to inadequate revenue, government has to borrow in order to finance its projects.”

Lawan said it was equally important that Nigeria diversifies its sources of funding programmes and projects.

“We need to encourage and promote more private sector participation in developing some of our physical infrastructure.

” We could explore the Public Private Partnership (PPP), Build Operate Transfer (BOT), and many other funding options.

“This is with a view to reducing our level of borrowing.”

He assured President Muhammadu Buhari of the readiness of senators and members of the Ninth National Assembly to work on the 2021 budget estimates.

He said that the National Assembly would be thorough in its scrutiny of the 2021 budget estimates.

“Our goal is to have a budget that will address our developmental needs in all its ramifications,”Lawan said.

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Lawan said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, shortly after signing the condolence register at
the valedictory section in honour of the late senator, who died on March 23.

Lawan, who described the passage of the senator as a very painful loss, however, said her achievements in education and public service were impactful.

“Those issues that she dreamt about, issues of education for our children particularly, national unity and national
development are issues we will continue to focus on in the Senate.

“We will continue to look for ways, means and mechanism to empower the education sector in Nigeria to provide education at such affordable cost and ensure availability.

“We believe that the 14 million out-of-school children should not be in the streets in Nigeria.

“If it means taking out two million or three million per year out of the streets, we are under obligations to do so as a country.

“Education must be a right because you cannot get the best out of your people, if you do not educate them.

“Because, at the end of the day you will be lost, the country will be the worse for it; so we must give these children education and give people the opportunity to render their potential.”

Lawan also said the life and attributes and achievements of the late Sen. Oko signified national unity, hence the need for all Nigerians to be united to develop the nation.

“We need to be united in this country; we have no reason to be fighting each other on the basis of ethnic or religious backgrounds in this country.

“Nigeria is a country that has come to stay; what we need to do is to continuously look into the best ways possible of ensuring that we provide avenues to improve on governance.

“Sen. Rose Oko never cared where someone came from, all she cared for was if someone was a Nigerian and she related with all of us very well.

“As politicians, we need to come together and provide leadership that will bring people together.

“Whenever you have been given the mandate, try to help to build the country because there is need to have a country before you can become anything.

“And you need to have people to be given the services they need, the education they need the health they need, then you have something to build your country on.

“If we continue to just fight on the basis of political parties or ethnic background, or religious persuasion, Nigeria will not make progress and that will be unfortunate.”

Also in an interview, Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT), described the late Sen. Oko as an amiable and wonderful lady.

He said Sen. Oko was a very straight forward individual, a team player and very sincere with her thoughts on development of Nigeria.

“She is somebody who will not hide her feelings, you can hear what people said about her, she was a very meek person, and was ready to learn and was down to earth.”

Aduda said Sen. Oko, while she lived, did not allow her health challenge to deter her from doing her job at the chamber.

“We have lost an iconic leader in her, and I pray God grants her family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Aduda said.

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Lawan, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja on Wednesday, commended the head of the family who bravely rescued his five-year-old son before escaping from the inferno.

The president of the senate also condoled with the government and people of Yobe over the tragic incident.

Lawan enjoined the people to take seriously tips for prevention of fire disaster in homes and offices, especially whenever there was power outage.

He prayed for Allah’s comfort for the bereaved family and for an end to such incidents.

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Lawan made the appeal when the executives of the NLC and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, (PASAN) led by Mr Ayuba Waba and Sunday Sabiyi paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Lawan called for further understanding and patriotism, adding that some states had started paying the agreed minimum wage.

“We should not encourage personal issue to overshadow our collective responsibility to nation building.

“We will journey with you to ensure absolute implementation of the minimum wage by the Federal government,” Lawan pleaded.

He also assured PASAN to collaborate with the management and leadership of the National Assembly, urging it to present issue-based arguments, instead on engaging strike action to press home its demands.

He also said the ninth assembly would not be detracted, but remained focused in pursing growth in every sector of the country.

The NLC President later presented a congratulatory card to Lawan on his emergence as the Chairman of the National Assembly.

He also pledged the commitment and collaboration of the labour unions to the legislators.

Earlier, the Chairman, PASAN, Sunday Sabiyi congratulated Lawan on what he described an impressive emergence as the President of the Senate.

He urged him to put into use, his wealth of experience as a ranking senator to the service and protection of the interests of Nigerians.

Sabiyi used the occasion to present the demands of the parliamentary staff in National Assembly.

He listed the demands to include implementation of 2018 arrears of 28 per cent and balance of 50 per cent consolidated Legislative salary, implementation of condition of service, recently approved by the eight National Assembly, training of staff, health insurance and life insurance premium.

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