Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, on Monday, inaugurated a committee on the establishment of a National Peace Commission (NPC).
The Resident Information Officer, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Mr Abu Michael, said in a statement in Abuja, that IPCR Acting Director General, Dr. Bakut Tswah Bakut, is chairman of the committee.
Other members of the committee included the Gbong Gwom Jos, Dr. Jacob Gyang, representing the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN); Professor Is-haq Oloyede, representing the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC); Navy Commodore James Aliyu Pindar, representing the Defence Headquarters; Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ebong Eyibio, for the Nigeria Police; and Deputy Commandant General (Crisis Management) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Adeoye Emmanuel, amongst others.
The committee, according to Abu, had three months within which to accomplish its task and submit reports.
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Mustapha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Dr. Amina Bello, said the National Economic Council (NEC) recommended the establishment of the commission and peace agencies for states after reviewing the security situation of Nigeria in August, 2017, adding that the NEC identified ethno-religious crisis as one of the sources of insecurity which must be addressed.
Expressing the significance of the task before the committee, he urged them to take cognizance of the myriads of security challenges across the country, citing terrorism in the North East, armed banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping in the North West; farmers and herdsmen’s crisis in the North Central, secessionist agitations in the South East, pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering and theft and cultism in the South South, as well as adverse activities of electricity vandals and oil bunkers in the south west and South South.