Disturbed by the Tiv/Jukun strained relationship in Benue and Taraba States, President Muhammadu Buhari has begun consultations for an inclusive stakeholder committee that will thoroughly interrogate issues that fuel communal conflicts across the country.
In a statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), said the committee would be mandated to proffer lasting solutions to age-long disagreements that have claimed lives and property.
According to the statement, Mr Buhari expressed his dismay over the development, noting that communal clashes have destroyed many lives and property, altered the destinies of families, and raised the profile of insecurity in the country by promoting generational tensions.
“The committee, which will work with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, will 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.
“President Buhari believes 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,” the statement added.
