After more than four hours of deliberations at an emergency meeting of the National Economic Council today, a resolution has been reached by the Council that the deeper issues behind the #ENDSARS protests and its fallouts should be addressed by both the Federal and State Governments.
To this end, a Council committee to engage the youths, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, religious and traditional leaders on employment, social safety net programmes and national unity among other key issues of concern has been constituted. Members of the Committee are governors representing the six geopolitical zones.
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The Committee would be chaired by the Vice President who presided over the meeting attended by the Governors, FCT Minister, Central Bank Governor, Inspector General of Police, representatives from the Military, the Directorate of State Security, and the National Human Rights Commission.
Members of the committee are:
1. Governor of Sokoto State
2. Governor of Borno Statae
3. Governor of Niger State
4. Governor of Ondo State
5. Governor of Ebonyi State
6. Governor of Delta State
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The Committee which is to commence work immediately will develop a comprehensive framework under the auspices of the Council that would coordinate joint actions and steps to be taken by both the Federal and State Governments to examine the fundamental issues underlining the protests and arrive at effective solutions, including how to enhance Nigeria’s national security.
While supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to a complete overhaul of the nation’s security services, NEC also commended the Nigerian Police and Security agencies for their handling of the disturbances in some States of the Federation while also noting its unequivocal belief that most members of the Nigerian security personnel are law-abiding and are capable of restoring law and order in the country.
