Buhari Raises 16-Man C’ttee To Deliver Promise Made In 2015

With barely 14 months left for him to serve out his two four-year terms in office, President Muhammadu Buhari has renewed his promise to restore peace in northeastern Nigeria by stopping further degradation of the region by Boko Haram insurgents and other criminals.

Buhari, on Wednesday, reassured people of the region that he was still devoted to his pledge to them and that the coming months will prove this.

The president gave the assurance while inaugurating the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East of Nigeria at the State House, Abuja.

The committee was inaugurated shortly before commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

“At the advent of this administration in 2015, I pledged to Nigerians that I will restore peace in the North East and return it to the path of development and growth. I remain committed to this promise.

“To the people of the North-East, particularly the children and future of the North-East, we will never forget you and your courage, sacrifice and endurance has been exemplary.

“I pledge to you that in the coming months you will begin to witness a shift away from a protracted insurgency to peace building, stabilization, and ultimately development in your respective communities as we embark on a revised approach to addressing this conflict- A Return to Normalcy,” he said.

The committee consists of ministers and heads of various security and government agencies.

The members are the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Interior; Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Others are the National Security Adviser, Inspector- General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, Director General, State Security, Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Director-General, North-East Development Commission, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants & Internally Displaced Persons, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency and Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said Buhari directed members of the committee to shift from managing the situation to activating a permanent solution for effective restoration of peace in the North-East.

Adesina said the committee was directed to develop a three-year action plan by the end of March 2022 that incorporates national and state level plans to provide a clear pathway for the restoration of peace and development in the North East.

The plan will include ways to repatriate and resettle displaced persons and also restore their means of livelihoods.

“Members will dedicate more time to the conduct of field visits to regularly engage with state government, communities and key stakeholders.

“Due to prevailing fiscal constraints, Ministries, Departments and Agencies will utilise existing budgetary resources and repurpose funds to programmes approved under this initiative.

“History beckons and Nigeria calls on you to be the team that finally charts this new path to the restoration of sustainable progress in the North East and I strongly believe this could lead to the birthing of a template for addressing insurgency and instability in other parts of our country and across the world.

“Failure to deliver on this task you have been assigned is not an option,” Buhari told members of the newly inaugurated committee.