Turaki c’ttee submits report, recommends…‘Better equipment, pay for security agencies’

Security agencies require urgent improvement in conditions of service, training and up-to-date equipment to face the security challenges confronting the country, the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North has recommended. The 26-member committee, headed by Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, yesterday submitted its report to President […]

Security agencies require urgent improvement in conditions of service, training and up-to-date equipment to face the security challenges confronting the country, the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North has recommended.

The 26-member committee, headed by Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, yesterday submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan saying it discovered lapses in these areas in the cause of its work.
In the last few months, federal troops reportedly suffered losses in the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents in the Borno and Yobe States, a situation which some sources attributed to lack of sufficient up-to-date equipment and synergy among security agencies. The military has denied the allegation.
The Turaki committee was set up in April to work for three months to locate and dialogue with the Boko Haram leaders so as to end the insurgency in the north east. Its tenure was extended for another two months which expired on September 29.
The chairman said the dialogue process which had reached an advanced stage should be continued through the establishment of an advisory committee on continuous dialogue.
The committee recommends that some of its members who have established rapport with the insurgents and possess the knowledge and experience to achieve full and final resolution may be considered for inclusion in the advisory committee.
He said the advisory committee on continuous dialogue should have powers to advise the president on all matters related to dialogue and resolution and should liaise very closely with security, law and other agencies on matters of disarmament and amnesty as well as post-conflict developments.
Presenting the report yesterday, Turaki recommended immediate support for victims of insurgency attacks and other forms of crisis, thousands of whom he said would require immediate assistance and rehabilitation.
Thousands of residents in the affected states have lost their relations, houses and businesses to violent insurgency attacks.
Turaki said his committee recommended that the government considers setting up a victims’ support fund, as a matter of urgency, to be administered by a new agency that would specifically assist victims of the insurgency.
According to him, the report of his committee is a product of painstaking effort in response to the desire of the government and the commitment of the committee members to finding a lasting solution to the Boko Haram insurgency in particular and national security challenges in general.
“The committee believes that the recommendations made in the report, if accepted and implemented, would go a long way in addressing the problems of Boko Haram insurgency and other national security challenges,” he said.
Addressing State House correspondents later, Turaki described the experience of his members as very rewarding as they met with a group of people who passionately believe in something, even if the basis of the belief is a misguided one.
He said his committee discovered a lot of over-radicalisation and misconception particularly of some of the Islamic principles as well as dogma that had been made the basis of the insurgents’ agitations.
“Overall, it has afforded members of the committee opportunity not only to have an overview of the problems afflicting security in this country, but also to understand certain underlying factors that have precipitated acts of insurgency in this country,” he said.
Turaki, who noted that the issue of amnesty was outside the committee’s mandates, said: “Our mandates have been, among others, to go into the field, interact and then have dialogue with key members of the insurgents in addition to bringing a framework that will make a recommendation to the government… grant support to victims of these various acts of insurgency.
“That has been our key mandate and that is what we have done. It is when you now reach the conclusion of the dialogue, peaceful resolution point where ceasefire agreement is signed and other things follow up including issues of disarmament, that is when the issue of amnesty will in the end be an option and be considered by government.”
He said the committee discovered that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country exacerbated the circle of violence, yet there was absence of effective early warning and response mechanism for prevention of violent conflicts. The committee also noted that traditional rulers were not fully involved in security management which, accordingly, accounts for avoidable lapses in detecting undesirable elements in the society.
Receiving the report President Jonathan declared that the war against terrorism is not yet won in the country.
Commending the committee for concluding its assignment, Jonathan said though the terror war could not be said to have been won, the report would help with a follow-up action that would bring the excesses of the Boko Haram sect to a close.
“We believe that the document you’ve submitted will help us with the follow-up action. Finally, we’ll be able to bring the issue of the excesses of the Boko Haram to a close…”
He assured that at a security council meeting, some aspects of the committee’s report would be reviewed and a team be probably set up to look at it and work out a planned programme in terms of the implementation of the recommendations.