Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, said on Thursday that the federal government was using the monies budgeted for development projects to fight the threats posed by “activities of the Boko Haram, bandits and secessionists” groups including the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB).
Malami disclosed this when he received the delegation of the United Nations and Lake Chad Basin Commission in his office, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.
The AGF said that the security challenges in the country had resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of livelihoods.
The statement quoted Malami to have said that judging from the security challenges presently confronting Nigeria and some of the Lake Chad Basin States, several lives had been lost, including the lives of soldiers and millions of dollars of properties have been either vandalized or completely destroyed.
He reportedly lamented that monies that could have been spent on development programmes/projects had been spent on efforts to checkmate and bring to a halt the activities of the Boko Haram, bandits and secessionists threats.
However, the AGF assured the delegation that the FG would not rest until all security challenges facing the country were laid to rest.
According to him, one of such strategies would see the federal government partnering “in the collaborative efforts to see to an end the multidimensional crises facing the Lake Chad Basin States.”
Further security strategies, according to him, included “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-radicalization strategies for upholding peace in order to win the war on terrorism; the 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.”
The group which came on a high-level political advocacy visit to Malami, expressed the UN’s commitment to continue assisting countries in the Lake Chad Basin to meet its security objectives and bring development to affected areas.
The delegation included Special Representatives of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa/Sahel; Mr Mahamat Seleh Annadif, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Africa; Mr, Francois Lounceny Fall and the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, the statement said.
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