The Presidential Committee on Peace and Resolution of Conflict in the Northeast is ready with its report which will be submitted to the President anytime from next week.
The Chairman of the committee and Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Taminu, made this known on Tuesday while briefing the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the activities of his ministry.
According to Tanimu, the committee had completed 99 percent of its assignment, assuring that the remaining one percent would be concluded this week, after which a report would be submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan.
When asked about the whereabouts of the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, Tanimu replied, “I think I should also ask you where is Shekau. Now with all sense of responsibility, we have been directed by Mr. President to identify key members of the sect and engage them in dialogue.
"Mr. President did not ask us to look for Shekau and engage him in dialogue. And it is important for Nigerians to appreciate that in matters of this nature, you don’t just wake up one day even as a dialogue committee established by government and say you are discussing with the highest leadership of the insurgents," he said.
According to him, they have been able to establish confidence with some members of the sect and they have been engaging some key members too.
He added that it doesn't have to be Shekau as the committee cannot decide for the sect who should represent them.
“But for us, it does not have to be Shekau. The committee cannot determine for them who should represent them. As far as we know, these are genuine members of the organisation. We deal with them and we have several ways of determining whether they are genuine members or not. But I want to assure that we have been talking to genuine members of the insurgency and these are members that are key as far as peaceful resolution of this matter is concerned.”
Tanimu said the committee had laid solid foundation for sustainable peace in the country.
The Chairman of the committee and Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Taminu, made this known on Tuesday while briefing the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the activities of his ministry.
According to Tanimu, the committee had completed 99 percent of its assignment, assuring that the remaining one percent would be concluded this week, after which a report would be submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan.
When asked about the whereabouts of the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, Tanimu replied, “I think I should also ask you where is Shekau. Now with all sense of responsibility, we have been directed by Mr. President to identify key members of the sect and engage them in dialogue.
"Mr. President did not ask us to look for Shekau and engage him in dialogue. And it is important for Nigerians to appreciate that in matters of this nature, you don’t just wake up one day even as a dialogue committee established by government and say you are discussing with the highest leadership of the insurgents," he said.
According to him, they have been able to establish confidence with some members of the sect and they have been engaging some key members too.
He added that it doesn't have to be Shekau as the committee cannot decide for the sect who should represent them.
“But for us, it does not have to be Shekau. The committee cannot determine for them who should represent them. As far as we know, these are genuine members of the organisation. We deal with them and we have several ways of determining whether they are genuine members or not. But I want to assure that we have been talking to genuine members of the insurgency and these are members that are key as far as peaceful resolution of this matter is concerned.”
Tanimu said the committee had laid solid foundation for sustainable peace in the country.
