VP Shettima Departs Belem For Abuja After Successful COP 30 Engagements

• As Nigeria reaffirms resolve to champion climate change solutions in Africa

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has departed Belem, Brazil, for Abuja after a successful diplomatic engagement in the South American country where he represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 30th Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30).

This is just as Nigeria has reaffirmed its determination to continue to use its influence to lead the way in seeking solutions to climate change matters in Africa and beyond.

The Conference convened by Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in collaboration with the United Nations and other global partners, was held from November 6 to 7 in the city of Belém, capital of the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon.

During the international engagement, Vice President Shettima joined other world leaders, development partners and business executives at the Leaders’ Climate Summit – COP30, where he delivered a speech on Nigeria’s effort in addressing climate change, saying the nation’s renewed climate agenda represents “not just an aspiration, but a solemn national commitment to preserve the planet for future generations.”

VP Shettima also represented President Tinubu at a high-level thematic session titled, “Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans,” on the margins of COP 30, where he delivered Nigeria’s bold statement.

Delivering the statement titled, “The Rational Soul of Nature,” he called on global partners “to recognise the economic value of nature and to channel significant finance towards protecting and restoring it through predictable, equitable, and accessible funding mechanisms.”

The Nigerian Vice President also took part in the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund, and participated in a roundtable chaired by President Lula on Climate and Nature, as well as an Amazonian Cocktail for Heads of Delegation, hosted by the President of Brazil.

On the sidelines, Senator Shettima also held bilateral meetings focused on establishing and managing Nigeria’s participation in the carbon markets, enabling the nation to unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade to help meet climate goals.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has affirmed its determination to continue to use its influence to lead the way in seeking solutions to climate change matters in Africa and beyond.

Special Adviser to the President on NEC and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists, gave a recap of the Vice President’s participation in COP 30 held Belem, Brazil.

She said Nigeria will use its influence to mobilize finance for the country, as well as advocate the adaptation finance for African nations in order to collectively tackle the challenges of climate change.

“One thing that I know the whole world would look out for is Nigeria’s leadership in Africa. So we do have our influence in the regional ECOWAS and also at AU platforms to demonstrate that we are that big brother.

“So, we must galvanize all stakeholders, both in public and private sectors, to make sure we implement our National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and make it work for us,” she said.

The presidential aide added that Nigeria’s natural resources will also play a key role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

“The natural capital we have – don’t forget that we are an oil-producing nation and endowed with vast natural gas resources and renewables – we will also continue to use that to implement the NDCs in a way that works for us and addresses the sustainable development challenges that we are facing,” El-Rufai added.

On the passion of the Nigerian government for seeking solutions to climate change matters, El-Rufai said, “Nature and climate are the very home that makes our economy thrive and also gives us the stability to live good lives. So, we are dependent on nature.

“That is why how you consume and use the natural resources is important to ensuring sustainability of livelihoods, economies and everything. So, this why we need to live our lives responsibly and also leave a better future for generations to come.

“The government led by President Bola Tinubu is concentrating on resilience and ensuring that there is long term shared value creation. The government will continue to prioritize climate and nature as well as ensuring that we lead on the necessary climate policies,” the Special Adviser added.

Noting that many countries are yet to submit their NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), El-Rufai urged them to emulate Nigeria, just as she praised Nigeria for taking the lead.

“There are many countries that haven’t submitted their NDCs yet but Nigeria has. China and EU just submitted; so, you can see we are leading because we also have our Climate Change Act as well as our carbon market framework in place, and that is why the theme for COP 30 is apt: COP of Action and Implementation.

“This COP Presidency said they are not creating anything new; rather, let world leaders seat and operationalize NDCs and make sure all those climate-related finance pledges made at Baku that were brought down from $1.3 trillion to $300 billion come to a reality,” she stated.

VP Shettima Departs Belem For Abuja After Successful COP 30 Engagements

Shaite group Protest in Kano, condemn Trump over alleged statement on attacking Nigeria

By: Zagazola Makama

Hundreds of members of the The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in Kano on Saturday staged a protest against a viral statement attributed to United States President Donald Trump, suggesting the possibility of a military strike on Nigeria.

The protest, which took place in several parts of the Kano metropolis, saw large crowds chanting anti-US slogans while carrying placards expressing displeasure with the alleged remarks.

Zagazola Makama report that mobilisation for the protest was largely coordinated through Hausa-language social media platforms, where posts claimed that the United States was planning to “attack Nigeria.”

Video footage circulating online showed youths marching, calling for global condemnation of Trump’s alleged comments, and urging Nigerians to defend the country’s sovereignty.

The members said they viewed the comments as provocative and capable of inciting tension.

“The statement is unacceptable. No foreign nation should threaten Nigeria. This protest is to show that we will not allow external aggression,” a protester said.

The narratives circulating online suggest a growing trend of anti-US sentiment in parts of northern Nigeria, fuelled by misinformation, distrust of Western involvement, and emotional messaging tied to religion and national identity.

They expressed concern that such rhetoric, if unchecked, could escalate and be exploited by extremist groups or political actors.

Shaite group Protest in Kano, condemn Trump over alleged statement on attacking Nigeria

Anambra 2025: NSCDC Assures Voters of Safety

By: Michael Mike

As the people of Anambra State prepare to cast their votes, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi has reaffirmed the Corps’ dual commitment to protecting lives and securing Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) while ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process.

Speaking through the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations, DCG Philip Ayuba, the CG assured citizens that NSCDC personnel deployed for election duty have been thoroughly briefed to operate with professionalism, neutrality, and utmost respect for human rights throughout the exercise.

He said: “Our presence at the polling stations is to protect, not to interfere. We are there to create an atmosphere where voters feel safe, confident, and free to exercise their civic rights.”

He noted that the Corps’ responsibility extends beyond providing physical security to ensuring the protection of critical installations such as electricity, water supply, communication facilities, and other public utilities that support the electoral process and national stability.

“Our mandate compels us to safeguard the assets that keep the nation running, because the credibility of any election depends not just on the safety of voters, but also on the protection of the systems that sustain it,” the CG added.

Audi emphasized that the NSCDC remains steadfast in its constitutional role of protecting lives, securing public infrastructure, and promoting peace during national assignments. He charged officers to maintain vigilance around INEC facilities, government buildings, and other strategic locations, warning that any compromise or political involvement would attract strict disciplinary action.

The Commandant General further assured that the NSCDC will continue to work in synergy with the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, and other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to deliver a smooth and transparent process.

He appealed to voters to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperative with security agencies, reiterating that their safety, the protection of vital assets, and the credibility of the election remain the Corps’ top priorities.
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