The Presidency says President Muhammadu Buhari has begun consultations for an inclusive stakeholder committee that will thoroughly interrogate issues that fuel communal conflicts across the country.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the committee when constituted would be saddled with the responsibility of proffering lasting solutions to “age-long disagreements that have claimed lives and property, with particular focus on the Tiv/Jukun relationship in Benue and Taraba States”.

According to the presidential aide, the President is disturbed by communal clashes that have destroyed many lives and property, altered the destinies of families, and raised the profile of insecurity in the country by promoting generational tensions.

He said the committee which would work with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, would include traditional rulers and religious bodies (specifically the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs).

Shehu further stated that the committee would draw its membership from age groups, market/farmer/hunters associations, local and state government officials as well as relevant security agencies.

“President Buhari believes Nigeria’s cultural diversity remains her greatest strength when properly harnessed and harmonized with a collective vision for unity, peace and shared prosperity, urging more patience as the government identifies and works towards creating more understanding,” he added. (NAN)