The Nigerian Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to establish a Presidential Intervention Committee on the rehabilitation of the north-eastern part of the nation, devastated by activities of the Boko Haram terrorists.
The Senate reached the resolution after an observation by Senator George Sekibo, a Peoples Democratic Party member representing Rivers East Senatorial District, on infrastructural damages caused by the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east.
He said: “Thousands of personal buildings and properties, social amenities and infrastructure, such as electricity, and telephone services have been destroyed in many parts of the zone.
“The livelihood of many indigenes of the area has been disrupted such that majority of the people are either in Internally Displaced Persons’ camps or are helplessly roaming the streets without any hope for their future”.
Some lawmakers argued that any rehabilitation of the north-east without first winning the insurgency would be a waste of time.
Others also called for a deliberate strategy to generate adequate funds for the reconstruction of social infrastructure destroyed by the insurgents.
While rounding off the debate, the Senate President pledged that the Senate should complement the efforts of the President to actualise his campaign promises, which was basically to guarantee security and welfare of Nigerians.
After an exhaustive debate on the issue, the Senate resolved that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, would lead a delegation to visit the troops and Internally Displaced Peoples camps in the north-east.
For over five years, the Boko Haram terrorist group has carried out series of attacks on communities, schools, places of worship and other public places in the north-east, rendering many homeless.
