Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has begun consultations for an inclusive stakeholder committee that will thoroughly interrogate issues that fuel communal conflicts across the country, the Presidency says.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, with particular reference to the Tiv/Jukun relationship in Benue and Taraba States, the President said he is disturbed by communal conflicts 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.
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The committee, which include 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, will work with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
President Buhari noted that 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.