RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

…Making it the 20th State to Benefit from the Support

By: Our Reporter

The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Program, launched in Abuja in March 2024 to provide monthly support to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, has reached Yobe State—making it the 20th state to benefit from the initiative.
Since its inception, the program has covered Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto States before arriving in Yobe.
With generous support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another industrialist who prefers to remain anonymous, assorted food items were delivered, bringing relief to many households, particularly those with disabilities.

The First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, noted that donors provide two truckloads of food items to each beneficiary state for onward distribution. Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, she highlighted Yobe as a major beneficiary of RHI programs and interventions.
These include:

• The Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economists Empowerment Program, which supported 500 women with ₦50,000 each.
• The RHI Women Agricultural Support Scheme, where 20 women received ₦500,000 each.
• A ₦68.9 million grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Young Farmers Club.
• Annual financial support to senior citizens, with 100 beneficiaries receiving ₦100,000 each in 2023 and 250 beneficiaries receiving ₦200,000 each.
• A ₦50 million financial grant to 1,000 petty traders.
• The Women in ICT Program, aimed at empowering women in the digital economy.
  According to Senator Tinubu, these interventions are designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
  Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni represented by his Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Barde Gubana reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the state has aligned with RHI through various empowerment programs for women, children, and vulnerable groups. These include the distribution of household items, skill acquisition schemes, and post-insurgency recovery programs that have economically empowered many women.
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  The State Coordinator of RHI and Wife of the Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Hafsat Kollere Buni, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending such impactful support to Yobe State. She also looked forward to stronger collaborations to further project the ideals of RHI and improve the lives of the people.
  Also present at the event was Dr. Ubong Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, one of the key donors to the program.
• RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

By: Zagazola Makama

Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.

Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.

“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.

He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.

The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.

“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.

Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.

The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

Obasanjo urges holistic approach to end Boko Haram, insecurity

By: Zagazola Makama

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a whole-of-society approach to tackle Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in Nigeria.

Obasanjo made the call on Thursday in Abuja while reviewing the book “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” authored by retired Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.

The former president, who wrote the foreword to the book, said the insurgency which has lasted more than 15 years under four administrations had become a major threat to the stability of the nation.

He recalled Nigeria’s past security challenges, including pre-independence militancy, the Tiv riots, and the 30-month civil war, stressing that Boko Haram had now become one of the most protracted security issues the country had faced.

“In 2011, after the UN House attack in Abuja, I went to find out who these people were and what they wanted. I found that they were not really aiming for anything political or religious. In short, they were looking for a better life.

“Have we understood that? Have we taken the right steps? Should we accept this menace as part of our lives? If not, what should we do? How proactive have we been in dealing with this monster within our country?” Obasanjo asked.

He commended Irabor for the courage to document his experiences and perspectives on the insurgency, noting that the book would enrich ongoing national dialogue on peace and security.

Obasanjo said Nigeria must not shy away from interrogating its past in order to understand what was disrupting the present and shaping the future.

“The life of any nation has the good, the bad and the ugly. What is important is for us to confront our challenges honestly, look at our past and present, and when it is time to proffer solutions, we must look beyond the ordinary,” he said.

The former president also warned against treating Boko Haram and banditry as separate problems, stressing that both had become intertwined.

“Those who have things to say about Boko Haram do not even know when Boko Haram stops and banditry starts. They are all mixed together. We must begin to do something about it, and we must do it collectively,” he said.

The event was attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Defence Muhammad Badaru, service chiefs, royal fathers, senior military officers, members of the National Assembly and the diplomatic community.

Obasanjo urges holistic approach to end Boko Haram, insecurity