The Northern State Governors’ Forum
(NSGF) Committee on Reconciliation, Healing and Security has
recommended that the Federal Government should mandate security agencies
to unmask individuals and groups using Boko Haram as a franchise to
settle political and economic scores.
The panel, however, asked the Federal
Government to end alleged impunity within security forces and review its
counter-insurgency strategy to protect innocent citizens.
It demanded the establishment of special
border patrol units, consisting of a combined operation of military,
immigration and customs, to check influx of aliens promoting
insurgency.
It also urged Northern governors to abolish all discriminatory state policies towards religious groups.
These recommendations are the highlights
of the report of the panel which was submitted to the Chairman of the
NSGF, Governor Babangida Aliyu, in Kaduna on Thursday.
The panel was headed by a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim.
In the report, exclusively obtained by
our correspondent, the panel asked Northern governors to carry out a
comprehensive assessment of losses and damages to insurgency between
2007 and 2012.
It made a strong case for compensation to victims of violence in the North in the last five years.
The report said: “Security agencies must
work to unmask and bring to justice the individuals and groups using
the Boko Haram insurgency as a franchise for political violence,
economic rivalry and criminal activities in the states in the North.
“The NSGF should liaise with the Federal
Government of Nigeria to end impunity within the security forces by
undertaking a review of its counter-insurgency strategy and conducting
independent investigations and expediting the prosecution of cases of
those against whom there is evidence in accordance with the tenets of
the rule of law.
“Restoration of confidence in government and the justice system as well as compliance with the rules of engagement
“This is urgent and must be sustained.
Accountability of officers or institutions must be demonstrated to the
full extent of the law in line with natural justice, equity and good
conscience.
“The NSGF should demand for the
immediate release of innocent persons (individuals and institution
representatives) from detention centres across the country, as well as
where appropriate, to expedite the completion of investigations for
prosecutions.
“There most be enforcement of the rule
of law and accountability standards. This is a priority if the trust and
confidence of any aggrieved party is to be gained for sustainable
peace.
“A letter may be written to Mr. President conveying the demand and relevant government and civil society entities copied in.”
The panel asked Northern governors to
prevail on the Federal Government to ameliorate the conditions of
victims of counter-insurgency against Boko Haram.
The report added: “The NSGF should
demand of the Federal Government to assume its responsibility to
ameliorate the condition of victims of collateral damage arising from
the counter -insurgency operations
“To ensure accountability of the
Central Government to the acts of commission and omission of security
agents. This recommendation is in line with international best practice.
It is also in cognizance of the constitutional responsibility where
deployment and control of security apparatus is the exclusive preserve
of the Federal Government.”
The panel, however, urged Northern governors to raise an independent body to facilitate dialogue and reunite Northerners.
It said: “To chart a common vision for
the development and unity of the Northern Region, The NSGF should
facilitate the emergence of an independent body to promptly facilitate
dialogue/mediation/ reconciliation among all aggrieved groups.
“The body/membership of the NSGF Committee could (on voluntary terms) form the nucleus of this independent body.
“The NSGF should, therefore, extend
recognition and liberty to the committee to undertake the complementary
interventions that support any other in initiative of the NSGF.
Activities proposed here are for an inaugural meeting and one meeting by
the end of 2013.
“The NSGF should convene a high-powered
dialogue of key stakeholders of the North. This dialogue could be
facilitated by a post -implementation committee or coordinating group
with a specific mandate from the NSGF.
“Among those to be invited are key
actors, past and present, in the judiciary, executive, legislature and
organized private sector.
“The NSGF should promote interstate
visits, dialogue and co -operation among governors. The NSGF may
consider hosting its earliest statutory meeting in Borno during which
both Borno and Yobe states can be visited. Subsequently the meeting
rotates to Bauchi or Plateau such that two states can be covered at any
meeting.
“The NSGF should promote the culture of
exchange of visits among top-class traditional rulers; the students
exchange programmes and other business and agricultural groupings.
“The budgetary implication of this
should be part sponsored by the NSGF and the structure of the hosting
community/institutional/social platform.
“State governments should also embark on
symbolic reparation by extending psychological and social support to
victims, including erecting headstones, building memorials, renaming
public facilities and establishing days of remembrance.
“Initiate a comprehensive study on the
damages and losses incurred as a result of violence throughout the
region in the last five years (2007-2012) to document and guide the
provision of token monetary and non -monetary relief.
The panel came up with 22-point solutions to the crisis in the North.
The report added: “The NSGF should implement this recommendation in phases as follows:
•First, commission a desk review/audit
of documentation of losses and recommendations for compensation from
previous reports/white papers to generate data for concrete and symbolic
actions.
•Commission study into whole regime of
violence to guide the establishment of long-term
structures/interventions, including establishing a Rehabilitation Fund
under the aegis of sons and daughters of the North and with
contributions from all levels of government, the private sector, donor
agencies and individuals.
•Sponsor 10,000 youths from each of the 19 northern states within a year for leadership and development training.
•Engender rehabilitation, de-radicalization, empowerment and inculcation of positive family values
•Preparations and logistics for this can
be done in 2013 with a strengthening of any existing youth empowerment
initiatives. In 2014, the budgetary provisions for this can be made and
the first batch of trainees enroll and graduate in 2014. Batch will be
admitted in the 1st quarter of 2016.
•Put in place mechanisms for regulating
registration of marriages and the reckless abuse of divorce to protect
and preserve family values and the sanctity of marriage.
•Each state government should secure
existing grazing reserves, and where expedient, create new ones,
thereby, defining their own cattle grazing routes which will then be
harmonized with those of adjacent states.
•To accommodate the livelihood of pastoral Fulani and reduce the frictions and recurring tensions between them and farmers.
•Institute process for securing existing
grazing reserves with active participation of both Fulani and farmers
in affected areas. Determine the need for additional or new grazing
reserves and create them in consultation with adjacent state(s)
•Appoint a committee to work with the
FGN to come up with a long-term research -driven framework of settling
nomadic Fulani pastoralists and changing the methods of raising their
livestock.
•Support security agencies to commence
community-based intelligence systems. Promote the utilization of safe
spaces like palaces, public schools, LG secretariats, zauren shawara to
engender dialogue between security forces and citizens.
•To engender citizen participation in security management and peace building while using less costly mechanisms
•Delegate partial responsibility to
traditional rulers whose structure fits the intent and methodology for
the attainment of the recommendations. Tangible motivation and
empowerment of all the traditional rulers in the North to support them
in the effective and efficient performance of their complementary roles
in the maintenance of law and order, security management and, most
especially, monitoring the influx of people within and across their
domains. Existing community monitoring initiatives should be
strengthened.
•Liaise with the Federal Government to
find practical and non -confrontational ways of addressing the
indigene/settler divide nationwide.
•Attainment of the constitutional
freedoms for citizens. The ongoing constitutional review process
presents an opportunity for addressing the underlying issues of this
challenge.
•The Northern governors should support
religious organizations to develop a code of ethics to self-regulate
their behaviour. Enhance accountability and curtail incidences of
incitement of adherents/followers of the different faiths. Self-imposed
regulations will reduce apprehensions against government, especially
oversight agencies.
•Enforcement to be secured by the legal endorsement of the regulations as integral charter of incorporation.
•Urgent expansion of the structure and
scope of the NIREC and similar interfaith agencies within Nigeria to
all levels of government in the Northern states.
•Guarantee the rights of all citizens to
the freedom of religion and ensure that the constitutional rights of
those who convert to one religion or the other are protected. Northern
governors must promote a sense of belonging for all and protect the
rights equitable treatment of all citizens
•Abolish all discriminatory state
policies towards religious groups, particularly in the areas of access
to lands for places of worship, or access to media spaces for religious
broadcasts. The teaching of Islamic and Christian religious education
must become an enforceable part of the curriculum of all schools,
irrespective of how many children there are of each faith.
•Discourage the use of derogatory and
offensive language which has the effect of denigrating human dignity
and freedoms of any person in all northern states.
•Federal Government to urgently
establish special border patrol units consisting of a combined operation
of military, immigration and customs equipped with tracking and
monitoring devices. Effectively respond to the challenges of human
infiltration and movement of arms and ammunition into and across border
states.
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Compensation? So long as they do not divert the money to terrorists. Plus only after they shoe the niger deltans gratitude for feeding them while they contribute absolutely nothing to the state.
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