The federal government has said that the proposed National Conference was aimed at putting an end to the communal clashes amongst the ethnic groups and to help strengthen the country’s unity.
Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Patrick Moro, stated this yesterday when he hosted a delegation from the United Nations Independent Experts on Minority Issues.
Moro said the country had suffered pockets of ethnic clashes in recent times, stressing that that was what the proposed National Conference would discuss with a view to putting an end to the conflicts.
He added that minority struggles were not new to the nation, and that previous administrations tried to stem down the problems by creating states and local governments.
He said: “The struggles of the minority tribes in the country started very long time along; and it was in the process to reduce it that twelve states were created after the civil war. We also have three major tribes in the country; Hausa Yoruba and Igbo. Aside these dominant tribes, we have over 300 ethnic groups in the country which are also struggling to be recognised.
“I am confident that the proposed conference will identify our problems and will help us to live together as one people regardless of our religious differences.”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Rita Izsall, said they were in the country to discuss with various organisations on the causes of internal conflicts amongst various minority tribes in the country and how to better address them.