Jonathan sets up committee to dialogue with Boko Haram

DESPITE reports of the Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram, kicking against the idea of an amnesty declaration for their members, President Goodluck Jonathan is pressing ahead with the initiative following his setting up of a presidential committee on Wednesday, to engage in dialogue with the insurgents.
The 26-member committee whose inauguration was announced by the Special Adviser to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, in Abuja, is headed by the Minister of Special Duty, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as chairman. 

Its setting up came on the heels of the consideration by the National Security Council on Tuesday of the report of the technical committee it had earlier set up to review fresh modalities for addressing security challenges in the North.
President Jonathan approved the constitution of the Presidential Committee, which according to Abati, is to constructively engage key members of Boko Haram and define a comprehensive and workable framework for resolving the crisis of insecurity in the country.
Its terms of reference include “developing a framework for the granting of amnesty; setting up of a framework  through which disarmament could take place within a 60-day time frame; the development of a comprehensive victims’ support programme, and the development of mechanisms to address the underlying causes of insurgencies that will help to prevent future occurrences.”
Members of the committee are: Sheik Ahmed Lemu, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Col. Musa Shehu, (rtd.), Sheik Abubakar Tureta, Dr.Datti Ahmed, Senator Sodangi Abubakar, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Hon. Mohammed Bello Matawalle,  Amb. Zakari Ibrahim, Comrade Shehu Sani, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed, Malam  Adamu S. Ladan, and Dr. Joseph Golwa.
Also in the committee as members are AVM A. I. Shehu, Mr. R. I. Nkemdirim,  DIG P. I. Leha, Prof. Nur Alkali, Malam Salihu Abubakar, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Lugga, Barrister Ibrahim Tahir, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo, Amb. Baba Ahmed Jidda, Group Capt. Bilal Bulama, Rtd, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, and a Representative of  Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF) is to act as Secretary.
President Jonathan has also approved the constitution of a Federal Government committee on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Abati explained that the setting up of the committee was in keeping with the president’s pledge that Nigeria would work with the United Nations and other countries to stem the worrisome proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and their use in creating insecurity and instability in Nigeria and other developing nations.
The composition of the committee headed by  Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe  as chairman is as follows: Amb.  Martin I. Uhomoibhi, Amb.  T. D. Hart, Amb.Ghali Umar, Amb. B.G. Wakil, Mr. Opelusi Olureti, Representative of Ministry of Interior, Representative of NSA, Representative of DG (SSS), Representative of NIA, and a Representative of Federal Ministry of Justice.
Others are representative of Ministry of Defence, Representative of DIA, Representative of the Nigeria Police, Representative of the Nigerian Customs Service, Representative of OSGF, and the Director, International Organisations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will act as Secretary.
Both committees will be formally inaugurated by President Jonathan at 10 am on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.