Worst Insurgency Days Over –Buhari.

President Muhammadu Buhari declared, yesterday, that the worst days of Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed over 20,000 people and displaced over two million, are over.

This was even as Buhari expressed regrets that Internally Displaced People (IDP)’s, who are ready to return home, have nothing to return to.

He added it was incumbent on the government to rehabilitate victims of Boko haram.

Buhari said this at the State House when he inaugurated the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative, (PCNI).

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had set up the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) to rehabilitate destroyed infrastructure and resettled persons displaced.

However, Buhari’s administration set aside N12 billion in the 2016 budget as special intervention fund for rehabilitation of the region.

The committee, chaired by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd), is charged with the responsibility of developing strategy and implementation framework for rebuilding the North East destroyed.

The committee, which has over 20 members comprising federal lawmakers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal and other eminent Nigerians, will exist for three years. Thereafter, a long-term regional development framework or entity may be established.

According to president Buhari, an estimated 2.4 million people have been displaced in the North East with properties worth billions of naira destroyed.

He said: “Fortunately, the worst of insurgency is behind us. This, we owe principally to the valiant efforts of our military whose gallant efforts have significantly degraded the insurgency. With these successes, many displaced persons are willing and ready to return home to pick up their lives and move forward.

“However and sadly so, many have nothing to return to. They have lost everything to the insurgency. In addition, social and public services are also absent due to the massive destruction of public and private infrastructure. Government is committed to providing effective coordination and guidance towards addressing the humanitarian crisis, the resettlement and reconstruction of the North East region.

“To this end, I have established the Presidential committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI), under the chairmanship of Danjuma, a man of proven integrity, outstanding patriotism and dedication.”

In his remarks, Danjuma expressed gratitude do to the president for finding them worthy of the responsibility.


sunnewsonline.com/worst-insurgency-days-over-buhari/