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NORTH NEEDS RE-ENGINEERING, RE-STRATEGIZING TO FASTRACK DEVELOPMENT – VP SHETTIMA

NORTH NEEDS RE-ENGINEERING, RE-STRATEGIZING TO FASTRACK DEVELOPMENT – VP SHETTIMA
- FG initiatives to tackle challenges in north-west underway
By: Our Reporter
We have to go back to the drawing board, re-assess the state of affairs in the North and come up with robust platforms of re-engineering our society, says Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President stated this today when he received in audience a Coalition of Northern States Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) led by its President, Mallam Dalhatu Abubakar in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him “it is imperative for the north to embark on the re-strategizing and re-engineering of the region in order to reposition it for accelerated development”
The Vice President, who was speaking to the leading industrialists and agents of change from the North, stated that “most of the issues highlighted by the President of CONSCCIMA are very poignant as these are issues that touch the lives and wellbeing of our people.”
Vice President Shettima commended CONSCCIMA leadership for its commitment to the development of the north through various industrial projects that can effectively lead to development through partnership with the Federal Government.
He observed that any society that seeks to achieve economic development must cultivate peace and stability, restating that “there can never be development without peace and there can never be peace without development.”
The Vice President praised President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a visionary and committed democrat for his passion to seek and achieve development through addressing the challenges of insecurity in the North especially in the North-west through the Pulaku initiative.
Explaining the initiative, he said “the Pulaku initiative is a robust solution towards addressing the challenges in the North-West. It is a solution aimed at addressing the challenges of armed banditry, kidnapping and the situation in the North-West which cannot be divorced from the issue of governance.”
“Poor governance has a direct bearing on what we are harvesting in the North-West,” he stressed.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation, Mallam Abubakar, expressed the readiness of its organisation to seek partnership with the Federal Government towards the revitalization of the economy in the North.
He highlighted some projects that can help to galvanize the economy of the North to include the revival of our moribound industries and setting up of new ones; establishment of pharmaceutical industries,; establishment of modular refineries; recharging of the Lake Chad; completion of Mambila Power and other Power projects; acquisition of Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company.
In a separate development, Vice President Shettima has reiterated the value of the traditional institution in the country.
Speaking today to a delegation led by the Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, Rtd. Justice Sidi Bage Muhamamad I, Vice President Shettima expressed gratitude to the traditional rulers, the Government and people of the State for their love and support to President Tinubu during the last electioneering campaign.
Acknowledging the role of the traditional rulers, he said “you are the custodian of our rich cultural heritage, the people listen to you more than us because you are the closest to the people. We appreciate you and value you because you are our link to the past.”
While urging the people of the State to be peaceful in order to develop, the VP said Nasarawa State is home to all the solid minerals in the country, adding, “if we productively utilize our solid minerals, Nasarawa can be to the North what Lagos is to the South-West and can be the engine room in this region because of its proximity to the FCT; opportunities abound more in Nasarawa State.”
In the delegation of the Nasarawa State were fist Class Emirs, Chiefs and other prominent sons of Nasarawa State.
NORTH NEEDS RE-ENGINEERING, RE-STRATEGIZING TO FASTRACK DEVELOPMENT – VP SHETTIMA
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RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

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.
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


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Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

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
News
Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach
By: Zagazola Makama
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.
Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing 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 the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.
“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.
The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.
According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.
“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.
Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.
He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.
The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.
“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.
The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
End
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