The Federal Government has rejected a recommendation by the
Presidential Committee on the Security Challenges in the North-East to pay
compensation to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.
It also turned down another
recommendation by the panel to transfer about 61 detained Boko Haram members to
Maiduguri.
However, government will offer victims
unspecified assistance.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb
Olubolade said recently that 308 people were killed in 118 gun and bomb attacks
by the sect across Abuja and six Northern states of Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna,
Niger, Yobe and Plateau.
The Borno State Government in
January paid N100million as compensation to the family of the late Alhaji Baba
Fugu Mohammed, father in-law to Mr. Mohammed Yusuf, the late leader of Boko
Haram Islamic sect.
The Borno State government said the
payment was in obedience to a court order.
The Commissioner for Information, Inuwa
Bwala said: “The family of the in-laws of the late Mohammed Yusuf took the
previous government in the state to court and the court awarded them N100
million damages.
“The present government was magnanimous
enough to pay the judgement sum because we do not want to continue to drag this
matter while the people are suffering.”
In recommending the transfer of the 61
detainees to Maiduguri, the Usman Galtimari Panel hoped it would douse the
tension generated by suspicion that the detainees have been killed.
The Federal Government, in the
gazetted White Paper on the panel’s report just released in Abuja, however,
agreed to install counter-Improvised Explosive Devices equipment in the
Central Bank (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and
other sensitive agencies and areas in the country to check terror
attacks.
The committee called for the transfer
of the 61 detained Boko Haram suspects to Maiduguri with much publicity to
prove that they have not been killed.
It was gathered that the recommendation
would encourage the sect to dialogue with government and clear misgivings about
government’s commitment to a peace deal.
There were speculations recently that
the 61 suspects had been relocated to a secret detention camp in Lagos.
But the State Security Services denied
the allegation.
Sources said in Abuja that government
prefers to keep the detainees until the proposed dialogue reached an
acceptable level.
The report said: “It was alleged that
the 61 Boko Haram members who are in detention have been killed. The Federal
Government should arrange the transfer of the 61 Boko Haram members detained
that were alleged to have been killed back to Maiduguri with adequate
publicity.
“Government rejects this
recommendation.”
On the victims of the spate of crises
in the North-East, the panel recommended compensation for them but it was also
rejected by government.
The government only promised to assist
victims of past crises and attacks in the country.
The report said: “The Federal
Government and Borno State Government should ensure that human and
organizational victims of the crisis most especially churches, mosques and
schools are compensated monetarily to enable them resuscitate and reconstruct
their property.
“Relations of the deceased victims
should also be compensated after a proper evaluation and assessment of the
value and cost of their property have been carried out.
“The Borno State Government should
respect the judgment of a High Court in the case of Baba Fugu.
“Government accepts these
recommendations but notes that it will only assist victims but not pay
compensation.”
Government endorsed the recommendation
of the panel to revisit and implement reports of past probes into similar
crises in the country.
The report added: “The committee was
inundated with series of complaints that the increasing state of insecurity in
the country is due to the failure of the Federal Government and some state
governments to implement White Paper reports of various committees that were
constituted and had submitted useful recommendations in the past
“The Federal and some state governments
should as a matter of urgency consider the numerous views and complaints
expressed by many Nigerians including some at higher levels, the increasing
state of insecurity in the country and the imperative of implementing White
Paper Reports of various committees that were constituted and had submitted
useful recommendations in the past but are yet to be acted upon.
“Government accepts this
recommendation.”
The panel observed that lack of synergy
among security agencies had affected counter-terrorism operations in the
country.
It called for a central clearing system
for security agencies.
It said: “On the part of the security
forces, the Report observed that there are palpable operational lapses, service
rivalry, under-funding, under-equipment and lack of collaboration. Proper
financing and standards should be maintained.
“There is failure to establish a central
clearing institution with one line budgeting and reporting system for all
intelligence security agencies as it obtains in some advanced countries. That
would avoid inter-agency rivalry and conflict.
“It was observed that in Nigeria
various security intelligence agencies operate different independent budgets
and have or compete for direct access to Mr. President.
“The Federal Government should
establish a central clearing institution with one line budget and reporting
system for all the intelligence security agencies as it obtains in some
advanced countries.
The panel offered fresh suggestions on
how to strengthen the capacity of security agents and protect key installations
like CBN, NNPC among others: “ It was further recommended that security
personnel (Police, Army etc) should be sensitized in the use and control of
IEDs as most appropriate.
“A case was also made for sensitive
government installations and establishments such as the NNPC, CBN to have
counter-IEDs support installed for effective security cover.
“Technical sweeping of sensitive
establishments and installations by combined force of Police Bomb Squad and
Military should be carried out regularly.
“Government accepts this
recommendation.”
The Presidential Committee was
inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator
Anyim Pius Anyim on August 2, 2011.
Members of the committee are: Amb.
Usman G. Galtimari(Chairman); Senator Ali Ndume; Chief Joe-Kyeri Gadzama(SAN);
Col. Musa Shehu(Rtd); Senator Bala Mohammed; Dr. Bello Mohammed; Chief Emeka
Wogu; and Alhaji A.B. Shehu.
Following the submission of a final report
by the panel in September 2011, the SGF raised a seven-man White Paper
Drafting Committee which was headed by Comrade A. Mora.
The rest are: Alh. Bukar Tijani; Engr.
Esther G. Gonda; Alh. Abdullahi Yola; Mr. Usman Abubakar; Mr. Jubril Adeniji;
Mr. L.E. Njoku; and Mr. U. Onwuanuokwu.