SGF inaugurates committee to foster peace

The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, has inaugurated a Committee for the Establishment of National Peace Commission.

Mustapha, represented by Dr Amina Shamaki, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Office of Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF), stated that the committee was critical to ensuring peace in the country.

The SGF noted that there were myriads of security challenges bedevilling the country that were yet to be halted.

“The National Economic Council (NEC) at its last security summit identified ethno-religious crisis as one of the sources of insecurity, which needs to be addressed.

“It therefore recommends the need to establish a National Peace Commission (NPC) by the Federal Government and Peace Agencies.

“The members of this committee were carefully selected based on their pedigree as sustainable peace builders. The committee is expected to submit its report within three months,’’ he said.

He listed terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping in the North-West, farmers and herdsmen crisis in the North-Central as security challenges in Nigeria.

Mustapha also noted the secessionists’ agitations in South-East, pipeline vandalism and oil bunkering in the South-South as part of the challenges.

The SGF added that these challenges indicated that all parts of the country were engrossed in one security challenge or the other.

Mustapha therefore enjoined the committee to recommend suitable platform for resolving these avoidable conflicts and return the country to the path of peace and sustainable development.

The SGF listed the Terms of Reference of the Committee to include developing a suitable framework for establishment of a National Peace Commission (NPC) at Federal Level and Peace Agencies at the state level.

“Also the committee shall articulate the functions to be performed by both the National Peace Commission and Peace Agencies.

“Draw the administrative structures and Organogram for National Peace Commission and Peace Agencies.

“They are to recommend the legal framework for National Peace Commission and peace agencies and any other issues the committee deems relevant to accomplish the assignment,’’ he said.

Members of the committee were drawn from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council.

Others were Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Defence Headquarters, Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Orientation Agency and Special Services Office OSGF.

The Chairman of the Committee, Dr Bakut Tsawah Bakut, of Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, assured that the committee would work assiduously to carry out this national assignment and submit their report on time.

He stated that as a peace builder, the assignment was a thing of joy for him and he would put in his best to ensure success.