3rd November, 2014
The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba on Monday in Abuja inaugurated the Police Committee on the Prevention and Management of Communal Clashes.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu.
It said that the committee was inaugurated by the IGP in his resolve to bring an end to the pervasive communal clashes that had plagued different parts of the country.
The statement said that the committee was set up on Oct. 27, 2014 by the IGP.
It said the body’s terms of reference are, “to encourage and facilitate dialogue among warring parties; conduct mediation meetings with aggrieved parties with a bid to peacefully resolving declared differences.
“To conduct investigation into incidents where necessary; developing and maintaining frameworks and processes for the prevention and effective management of communal clashes.
“Mediation and application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services to avert clashes and or resolve observed/reported communal disputes before they escalate.
“Conduct assessment of extent of communal clashes within the country and make recommendation to the Inspector-General of Police on the role of the Nigeria Police in providing security and public safety in trouble areas.”
The release said that the committee was co-chaired by six Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGS), drawn from six geo-political regions of the country: Christopher Dega, Mohammed Abubakar, and Adeola Adeniyi.
Others are Felix Uyanna , Yahaya Ardo, and Mbu Joseph Mbu, while Commissioner of Police Rasheed Akintunde will serve as Secretary.
The IGP, while inaugurating the committee, urged the members to bring their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring that the incidences of communal clashes in the country were brought to “a non-pathological level”.