Govt inaugurates 25-man IDPs resettlement committee

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has inaugurated a 25-man committee to ensure resettlement back to their respective communities in the Northeast, of persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency across the country.

Inaugurating the committee yesterday in Abuja, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Dan-Ali said this has become necessary, as threat of the terrorists has been appreciably reined in by the armed forces and there is need to ensure that civil authority is restored in the areas liberated.

He said: “The fight against terrorism has reached a new phase after the terrorist activities have been significantly reduced. Most of the places that were occupied are now liberated. It is imperative to consolidate on the gains achieved so far”.

The terms of reference given the committee include: to access the presence of and potential civilian Joint Task Force and other local vigilante groups to provide intelligence to the security agencies; confirm the presence of civil populace in these areas; ascertain areas liberated from the terrorists by own forces; and confirm the presence of law enforcement agencies at these locations and their capacity to protect civilians” among others.