The federal government has established a committee to implement the ‘Pulaku’ initiative. ‘Pulaku’ is a Fulani term that translates to “being shy.”
The initiative was created by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle the underlying causes of insurgency, banditry, and poverty in the northern region.
In July 2023, Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized that the military alone cannot resolve the crisis in the north-western region, highlighting the necessity for both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“In the next couple of weeks, we will unveil the Pulaku solution, which will address the grievances and social exclusion of our Fulbe cousins in the north-west and also address the root causes of all the banditry and insurgency in the nation,” Shettima had said.
Sokoto, Kebbi, Benue, Katsina, Niger, and Kaduna are the states to benefit from the initiative.
On Tuesday, Shettima launched a committee chaired by Ahmed Dangiwa, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development.
Other members are Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security; representatives of the seven state governors; chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); director-general of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP); director general of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); Dangote Group; and BUA Group.
Speaking at the inauguration, Shettima said the Pulako initiative is “a national commitment to confront a threat that has fuelled distrust and conflicts within communities and across the boundaries of our federation.”
The vice-president stated that the initiative was not intended to provide compensation to any specific group or region. The chosen states were deliberately selected for this purpose.
“The selection of these states is a deliberate and strategic approach. The aim is to generate ripple effects that will not only revitalize communities but also lay the groundwork for a more inclusive and cohesive Nigeria,” Shettima was quoted by Stanley Nkwocha, his media aide, as saying.
“This is not merely a response; it is a call to action. We are here because each of our programmes or policies will falter unless we get to the root of the dysfunctions we have inherited.
“This non-kinetic solution is not designed to compensate any particular group or region. Therefore, we must cast aside any notion of divisive regionalism and see the Pulaku initiative for what it truly is — a practical response to a shared challenge.
“Let our legacy be measured not in the structures we build but in the lives we uplift, the unity we restore, and the collective strength of a nation rising above its challenges.”
Present at the inauguration were governors Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Mohammed Bago of Niger, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Dikko Radda of Katsina, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara.”
