FG to support efforts to address Lake Chad region crisis

The Federal Government has vowed to partner in the collaborative efforts to end the multidimensional crises facing the Lake Chad Basin states.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), stated this, yesterday, as he received the delegation of the United Nations and Lake Chad Basin Commission who were in Nigeria for a high-level political advocacy visit.

Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,  Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, in a statement said the delegation included Special Representatives of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa/Sahe, Mr. Mahamat Annadif, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Africa, Mr, Francois Lounceny Fall and Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Ambassador Mamman Nuhu.

Malami  said judging from the security challenges presently confronting Nigeria and some of the Lake Chad Basin states, several lives have been lost, including lives of soldiers while millions of dollars of properties were either vandalised or completely destroyed.

He lamented that monies that could have been spent on developmental programs/projects have been spent on efforts to checkmate and bring to a halt the activities of Boko Haram, bandits and secessionists threats.
He said Nigeria had adopted several strategies geared towards ending the security challenges, including to cushion the effects of the war on victims, such as the internally displaced persons as well as modalities to boost infrastructural and economic development of the regions.

He listed some of the strategies adopted by the Federal Government to include: “The establishment of the North East Development Commission for the development of the damaged infrastructure as well as to provide the most needed infrastructure; de-radicalisation strategies for upholding peace in order to win the war on terrorism; repatriation of Nigerian Refugees in Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republics; conciliation and compensation of victims, prosecution of Boko Haram cases at Kainji, New Bussa Courts.”