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VP SHETTIMA TO MEDIA PROFESSIONALS:

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VP SHETTIMA TO MEDIA PROFESSIONALS:

Tinubu Administration Needs Support To Actualize Its Policies, Programmes

Cautions against protest, calls for dialogue

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has solicited the support of Nigerians for the actualization of the programmes and policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the President means well for all Nigerians.

According to him, contrary to speculations in some quarters, President Tinubu is neither anti-north nor anti-Islam, noting that the President has reflected this in appointments to key positions in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Senator Shettima stated this when he received representatives of media practitioners from the northern part of the country on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

On the planned nationwide protest, Senator Shettima acknowledged the right of citizens to protest, noting, however, that it has its own demerits that are not pleasant.

“Today, if they say there will be a protest, it will amount to a lot of losses. Protest is the right of the people, but let it be known that historically, it has been hijacked by unscrupulous elements,” the Vice President stressed.

The Vice President said current statistics of appointments into MDAs show President Tinubu’s choice of northerners for key areas such as agriculture, security, communications technology, health and allied services, among other positions in the Federal Government.

VP Shettima maintained that the present administration has genuine intentions to transform the lives of many in the North through laudable initiatives geared toward addressing the issues confronting the people.

Citing the Resettlement Scheme for Persons Impacted by Conflict (RSPIC) and the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development as examples, the Vice President said, “President Tinubu means well for the North. Let us disabuse the minds of our people who have been misinformed that the President does not like the North.

“Who was instrumental in signing the Northwest Development Commission bill into law and who created the Ministry of Livestock Development? It is this same President. He gave the approval for the launch of the RSPIC Initiative – a non-kinetic approach to the crisis in the northwest region by building an entire ecosystem for victims of the crisis. These policies will have a direct and positive impact on the northern people.

“I want to reiterate this fact, and I am saying it because I know the President’s disposition towards the north. He is a good and just man. He loves the north and is working for its transformation,” the VP added.

Speaking further about the need for the media to rally around the present administration, the Vice President said that taking to the streets to protest will not guarantee any form of development for the region.

He said, “I am appealing to you to unite and support the development of our region by this present government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am really soliciting your prayers and support for us at this time in the history of our country. This is not the time to protest.

“We in the north need to promote actions and ideals that are critical to the development of our country; we cannot allow things to degenerate.”

He appealed to the media practitioners to mobilize people of the region to leverage all of the opportunities offered by the Federal Government to transform the lives and livelihoods of the people.

The Vice President stressed that President Tinubu has shown his love for the North as reflected in his appointments where people of northern extraction are occupying sensitive positions.

Accordingly, he called on northerners to give their support to the current administration under President Tinubu in order to enhance development in the region.

VP SHETTIMA TO MEDIA PROFESSIONALS:

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West African Leaders Move to Deepen Regional Security Cooperation at Accra Conference

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West African Leaders Move to Deepen Regional Security Cooperation at Accra Conference

By: Michael Mike

Leaders from several West African countries have agreed to pursue a new, structured approach to regional cooperation aimed at tackling terrorism, cross-border crime, and deepening insecurity across the sub-region.

The commitment was reached at the end of a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security held in Accra from January 29 to 30, 2026.

The meeting was chaired by Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, with Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Joseph Boakai of Liberia leading their respective delegations.

Representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo also participated.

Discussions at the conference focused on the worsening security situation in West Africa, which leaders described as facing an alarming rise in terrorism and violent extremism. Participants noted that the frequency of attacks and loss of civilian lives now pose a serious threat to regional stability, economic activity, and social cohesion, making coordinated action unavoidable.

The conference followed earlier technical sessions involving Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Security, as well as intelligence chiefs from participating states. Development partners, including the African Union Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), alongside civil society organisations, contributed to the deliberations.

Leaders agreed that existing responses to insecurity have been too fragmented and largely reactive. As a result, the conference resolved to work toward a permanent framework for cooperation that would strengthen collective responses, improve information sharing, and address the structural drivers of insecurity across borders.

A key outcome of the meeting was a renewed emphasis on a human security approach, recognising that military measures alone cannot deliver lasting peace.

The leaders pledged to prioritise governance reforms, job creation, access to education and healthcare, and community-based peacebuilding as part of national and regional security strategies.

On counterterrorism, the conference agreed to enhance intelligence and information sharing, harmonise legal frameworks to support cross-border prosecution of terrorism-related crimes, and expand deradicalisation programmes while upholding human rights standards. Measures to combat trafficking in arms, narcotics, and persons were also highlighted.

To strengthen border security, participants committed to exploring joint operational measures, including possible “hot-pursuit” arrangements through bilateral or multilateral agreements. They further agreed to develop a foundational Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation and security within six months, with Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs tasked with leading the drafting process.

The conference also addressed humanitarian and climate-related challenges, recognising climate change as a factor that intensifies conflict and displacement. Leaders agreed to integrate climate and food security into regional peace planning and to work toward a shared disaster preparedness and humanitarian response framework.

At the close of the meeting, participants agreed to institutionalise the consultative conference as a bi-annual platform and to establish a mechanism for tracking and monitoring the implementation of agreed decisions.

The conference ended with a renewed pledge by regional leaders to translate commitments into concrete actions that safeguard lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen stability across West Africa.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu led the country’s delegation to the meeting.

West African Leaders Move to Deepen Regional Security Cooperation at Accra Conference

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Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold

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Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the 8 Division, Nigerian Army, operating under Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have stormed the camp of a notorious bandit leader, Gwaska Dan Karmi, in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, neutralising 20 terrorists and destroying the stronghold.

A military source told Zagazola Makama that the decisive, well-coordinated offensive followed credible intelligence that over 100 bandits had converged at the camp to plan coordinated attacks on communities and logistics movements.

According to the source, the troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and local vigilantes, conducted week-long surveillance before moving to intercept the terrorists.

“Contact was established on Jan. 31, 2026, as the terrorists advanced. They engaged the troops in a fierce firefight and attempted a flanking manoeuvre, but this was repelled by superior firepower,” the source said.

He said 20 terrorists were neutralised in the encounter, while several others fled with gunshot wounds. Follow-up operations, the source added, were ongoing to assess further casualties and recover additional items.

The raid yielded significant recoveries, including assorted weapons and ammunition, bicycles, food supplies, medical drugs, clothing, detergents and other logistics materials.

“The Gwaska Dan Karmi camp was completely destroyed,” the source said.

He noted that troops remained highly motivated, with combat efficiency assessed as strong and unwavering.

Troops storm bandit leader’s camp in Zamfara, neutralise 20, destroy stronghold

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Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara

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Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Army troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with the Zamfara State Police Command, have rescued an abducted man in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

Sources said that the incident occurred on Jan. 29, when armed bandits invaded the residence of Abdullahi Isah Nagari on the outskirts of Tsafe town and abducted him to an unknown destination.

According to the source, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Tsafe Division promptly mobilised to launch a coordinated rescue operation.

“During a thorough search of the surrounding bushes, the victim was successfully located and rescued. He was found tied to a tree with a machete cut injury on his hand,” the source said.

The sources added that the victim was immediately taken to the General Hospital, Tsafe, where he was receiving medical attention.

The source said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, while security patrols had been intensified in the area to prevent further occurrences.

Army troops, police rescue abducted victim in Zamfara

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