By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

ABUJA — Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, yesterday, solicited the assistance of the international community for the on-going efforts  by the Federal Government to end the insurgency in the north eastern part of the country and thereafter rebuild the area as well as rehabilitate the people.

Saraki

He said such support would also help to bring succour to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the area.

Saraki made the call at separate sessions he had with the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner and his Spanish counterpart, Alfonso Barnudvo Sdbastian De Erice, who paid him acourtesy visits in Abuja.

He stated that the humanitarian situation and level of destruction in the area ravaged by the insurgents require urgent and wide support across the world.

He said it was clear to him having led a delegation of the Senate to visit the IDPs camps in Maiduguri on Monday for an on-the-spot assessment that the Federal Government alone cannot foot the bills for total rehabilitation of the people and rebuilding of infrastructure damaged as a result of the  activities of the insurgents.

Saraki said: “As you talked about insecurity, particularly the insurgency in the North-East, it is a problem that we alone cannot tackle. A couple of days ago, some of us were there in the North-East, in Borno State, to see the effects on the entire community particularly the Internally Displaced Persons, I think that it is clear that a large part of the North-East need reconstruction and rehabilitation and I think this is an area where long term funding will play a role to help us in the infrastructure.

“Those places needed to be rebuilt. There are no schools.  There are no roads. The houses have been destroyed and I think that the international community can assist us by providing funding that will allow us to begin the rehabilitation and reconstruction of these areas.”

In their separate remarks, the German Ambassador, Mr.  Zenner and his Spanish counterpart, De Erice, commended the Senate for putting behind the crisis that bedevilled its take off,  adding that they will not relent in working closely with 8th Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in achieving social, political and economic stability.