EndSARS: South-East governors to create fund to support victims of violence- Onyeama

—Says FG engages UK parliament on threat to sanction top Nigerian officials

ROTIMI FADEYI, ABUJA

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama on Wednesday disclosed that South-East governors are committed to creating fund to compensate and help victims of violence.

The Minister disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa.

He was speaking on the meeting with governors and stakeholders from the South-East over the EndSARS protests

The minister said the South-East governors are also to engage more systematically with the youths to address the agitations as a result of EndSARS and came up with a number of proposals to see better funding of the police and other security agencies as a way to achieving the right goal in addressing the security offices.

Onyeama further said, “they were also very keen to ensure and guarantee the safety of all Nigerians living within the zone and also thanked the other parts of the country for assuring the safety of those from the South East living in other parts of the country.

“They said they will set up a mechanism for constant dialogue with the youths and all the other stakeholders in the sub-region

“They appreciated very much that the enabling environment also had to be created so that the root causes of some of the agitations could be addressed and of course some of this enabling environment will be getting the economy back on track and they were supportive of the initiative of Mr. President in that regard. So all in all, it was an initiative the grassroots welcomed, they said it was the first time the Federal Government was engaging with the youths.

“Two days later, another stakeholders meeting was organized by myself where all the Presidents General from the state of Enugu were invited in addition to youths and traditional leaders. The discussions looked at larger issues of the country, governance issues and steps that could be taken to as it were stabilize the polity and to build a framework for peace, stability and development”, Onyeama added.

While responding to question on whether there was a long term plan to ensure that businesses and lives of people from the South-East are safe in other parts of the country, Onyeama said it was still work in progress and all about building trust.

“The South-East governors did address the issue of ethnicity in this whole situation and it was in that context that they committed to assuring the security of groups that are not from the zone of their protection and also reaching out beyond their zone to their counterparts to also ensure the security of South Easterners living in other parts of the country.

“But I think this also speaks to just the whole security apparatus supporting the security forces to be able to defend and protect Nigerians wherever they are within the country, I think that is really what it has to be about.

“Of course there may be other things that government issues that will come up to play but I think the most immediate one really would be having security forces that are enabled and empowered to be able to protect every single Nigerian wherever they might have found themselves in the country”, he added.

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On the threat by the Parliament in the United Kingdom to impose sanctions on government officials and whether the Federal Government reached out to the UK government, Onyeama disclosed that the Nigerian government has reached out to the UK government.

“The meeting that took place were Parliamentarians and don’t speak for U.K. government which acts for the United Kingdom has also heard the side of the (Nigerian) government regarding everything that has happened.

“So, we have been in touch with them and engaging with them. And of course as in any democracy, the members of parliament are also able to air their view.

“But what is important is that balanced picture is made available to them before they take any decision”, the minister said.