Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The presidency saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari had begun consultations for the constitution of an inclusive stakeholder committee to be saddled with the responsibility of exploring issues fueling communal conflicts across the country.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said the overall intention of the move is to profer lasting solutions to age-long disagreements that have claimed lives and property among communities.
He said the move would place a particular focus on the Tiv/Jukun relationship in Benue and Taraba States, adding that the president is disturbed by communal clashes that have destroyed many lives and property, altered the destinies of families, and raised the profile of insecurity in the country by promoting generational tensions.
The committee, the statement added, will work with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, with membership drawn from traditional rulers, religious bodies, (specifically the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs), age groups, market/farmer/hunters associations, local and state government officials, and relevant security agencies.
“President Buhari believes Nigeria’s cultural diversity remains her greatest strength when properly harnessed and harmonized with a collective vision for unity, peace and shared prosperity, urging more patience as the government identifies and works towards creating more understanding,” the statement added.
