The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has inaugurated the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East of Nigeria.

The committee members include the Ministers of Finance, Budget; National Planning; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management; Social Development; Interior; Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Others are the National Security Adviser, Inspector- General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, Director General, State Security, Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Director-General, North-East Development Commission, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants; Internally Displaced Persons, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency and Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Wednesday, Buhari pledged that his administration is embarking on a revised approach to addressing the 13-year conflict and insurgency in the region and will not relent in efforts towards a return to peace and normalcy.

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On the Terms of Reference for the committee, the president emphasised that it entails a shift from managing the situation to activating a permanent solution for effective and practicable restoration.

He said the committee, among others, is expected to develop a concise three-year action plan by the end of March 2022 that incorporates national and state-level plans, providing a clear pathway for the restoration of peace and development in the North-East.

The committee, he said, will also develop and implement a phased plan for the repatriation, returns, resettlement of IDPs and restoration of livelihoods, incorporating global best practices that give dignity to the affected populations.

According to the President, they will also be responsible for the development and implementation of a coordinated peace-building and reconciliation programme that is culturally appropriate and community-driven.

He added that the committee is also saddled with the responsibility of strengthening collaboration with key donors, development partners and private sector organisations that are critical to the mobilisation of resources and implementation of programmes.

Buhari charged the committee members to adopt the guiding principles of accountability, delineation of duty and community-driven methods to address issues.

“Members will dedicate more time to the conduct of field visits to regularly engage with state government, communities and key stakeholders.

“Due to prevailing fiscal constraints, Ministries, Departments and Agencies will utilise existing budgetary resources and repurpose funds to programmes approved under this initiative,” he said.

Underscoring the task ahead of the committee, the President said, “History beckons and Nigeria calls on you to be the team that finally charts this new path to the restoration of sustainable progress in the North East and I strongly believe this could lead to the birthing of a template for addressing insurgency and instability in other parts of our country and across the world.

“Failure to deliver on this task you have been assigned is not an option.”