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VP Shettima, US Envoy Meet Over Food Security

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VP Shettima, US Envoy Meet Over Food Security

*Mechanization, quality seeds, fertilization, others top agenda

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has sought the assistance of the United States government for the agenda on food security of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He made the request when he met with Mr Cary Fowler, U.S Special Envoy for Global Food Security, as part of his schedules in the United States of America.

Specifically, VP Shettima identified key areas where Nigeria would require urgent support, saying “we seek the support of the United States Government, be it technical or otherwise, towards addressing challenges in our agricultural sector.”

The Vice President continued: “Mechanization is absolutely essential, good quality seeds, fertilization, improved agricultural practices, smart agriculture, these are the solutions we seek because the whole mantra is on increase in yield, it is about improving productivity. It goes beyond the acreage that is used for production.

“So, I am here surrounded by other stakeholders who have all the figures, facts and knolwledge to make this partnership easy and smooth sailing,” the VP stated.

He further reassured the US Special Envoy for Global Food Security of the readiness of the Tinubu administration to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to improve agricultural productivity, not only in the country, but across Africa.

According to him, Nigeria will sustain existing relationships with partners in the agricultural sector, even as he noted that the country will nurture the alliance.

“We will nurture it because more than ever before, we are facing food security challenges. We have to think outside the box, we have to look for ingenious solutions that can help us to overcome the challenges. I believe with your support (the political will is there now more than ever before), together, we can save humanity and serve the human race,” he noted.

In his response, Mr Fowler disclosed that the US government, in partnership with other stakeholders, has launched an agricultural initiative, assuring that Africa would be prioritised.

He said, “What we are trying to do here in the US, which we coined the ‘Vision for Adapted Crops and Soil’, is a partnership between the US, the AU and the FAO.

“In summary, what we are trying to do working with African countries is to help them, right from the national level down to the farmers, to manage the soil more properly and to ensure sustainability and productivity (that is on the soil side).

“On the crop side, we are extremely concerned about climate change and its effect on Africa. So, this programme that we have with the AU and FAO is focused on Africa,” the special Envoy underlined.

He disclosed that the programme “will look at indigenous African crops that have long suffered from massive underinvestment.

“We have established a multi-donor trust fund at the IFAD to provide long term funding for the programme and the USAID is also involved. The US government has allocated 100 million dollars to the programme,” he added,

He however emphasized that stakeholders “need to work in a collaborative way with countries like Nigeria.

“We need your partnership, we need your political support to push this. We have to make these efforts more permanent; we have to institutionalize the efforts and have a strong African voice on this. We want this programme to be African led,” he further noted.

Vice President Kashim Shettima who attended the Belt and Road Initiative in China before proceeding to the United States is expected back in Nigeria at the weekend.

VP Shettima, US Envoy Meet Over Food Security

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FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce

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FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce

** As VP Shettima demands urgent action to bridge nation’s skills gap

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for immediate and united action to close Nigeria’s widening skills gap, describing it as a national priority critical to economic transformation.

This is just as the federal government has hinted at a proposal for the review of existing skills training centres across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to align their work and functions with national development goals.

The Vice President, who spoke on Thursday during the 6th meeting of the National Council on Skills (NCS) at the Presidential Villa, noted that the council’s mandate is to develop a strategic workforce capable of meeting Nigeria’s evolving economic demands.

“What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. We have to make this country work. We need to fill in the skills gap,” he said.

VP Shettima pointed out that the council has a mission to strategically position Nigeria’s workforce to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

“This council was established with a clear mandate to drive the strategic development of the skilled workforce that can contribute meaningfully to national growth and prosperity,” he added.

The Vice President described the session as an open forum where positions were aired and important decisions were taken, emphasising that stakeholder engagement, consensus-building, and decisive leadership are essential to fixing Nigeria’s skills and employment crisis.

A major highlight of the meeting was the proposal for a National Skills Infrastructure Audit to create a centralised database of all training facilities, verify their functionality, and identify gaps or overlaps in infrastructure.

“The government’s policy trajectory is to strengthen human capital development for national growth and industry through skills development. However, unless the skills infrastructure across MDAs is optimised, this vision will remain unattainable,” the council noted.

The audit will also involve physical verification of centres and a detailed cataloguing of operational training facilities, ensuring alignment with national occupational standards and labour market needs.

Earlier, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa made a presentation on the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP), an initiative aimed at training 10,000 artisans annually in high-demand construction trades.

The programme is designed to formalise Nigeria’s informal artisan sector by providing certification and onboarding qualified artisans onto a Digital Artisan Marketplace.

“The overall goal of NASAP is to establish a reliable and competent artisan workforce to drive the Ministry’s housing and infrastructure agenda while empowering Nigeria’s youth with employable skills,” the Minister said.

He noted that NASAP seeks to tackle youth unemployment while simultaneously addressing the skilled labour shortage in the construction sector, just as he said it is projected to have a significant impact on both job creation and long-term infrastructure development.

FG Plans Nationwide Audit Of Skills Centres To Transform Workforce

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Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel

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Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army troops of Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai in Yobe have intercepted a truck loaded with suspected vandalised iron railway sleepers and arrested eight suspects, including five personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), during a targeted operation in Katarko area of Gujba Local Government Area.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the operation, which took place on July 8 at about 4:00 p.m., followed credible intelligence about the movement of vandalised railway materials.

The truck, was intercepted while en route to Damaturu. A Hilux vehicle marked NSCDC CD 234 A, believed to be providing escort for the illegal consignment, was also impounded.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the railway materials were vandalised from a section of the tracks around Kukuwa, also in Gujba LGA.

Further findings revealed that the arrested NSCDC officers were allegedly invited by the vandals to provide safe passage in exchange for monetary compensation.

A cash sum of ₦128,500, believed to be proceeds of the illegal escort, was recovered from one of the NSCDC officers. The money was reportedly concealed in his inner clothing.

The suspects and exhibits have been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Damaturu for further investigation. An anti-bomb squad has also been directed to sweep the recovered materials to ensure public safety.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing and all those found culpable will be prosecuted accordingly.

Army intercepts railway vandals in Yobe, arrests 8 suspects including 5 NSCDC personnel

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NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June

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NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decried the rising incident of human rights violation in the country, stating that last alone over 320,000 cases were reported across the country.

Speaking during the presentation of June 2025 Human Rights Situation Dashboard in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu said: “In the month of June, we received 327,154 complaints reflecting another sharp increase in human rights violations, each one a desperate plea for justice and a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done.”

He lamented that: “Every month, when we gather to present this human rights dashboard, we are confronted with a sobering reality of the lived realities of those affected by violence, injustice, discrimination, and systemic neglect. These numbers compel us to reflect deeply on our collective responsibility and ask ourselves the difficult question: Are we doing enough? The events of June 2025 demand not just reflection, but an honest and urgent response.”

He said: “Last month, Nigeria witnessed a harrowing surge in violent attacks, with devastating consequences for affected communities and our national conscience. Among the most tragic incidents were the brutal assaults on the Yelewata and Dauda communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where over 200 innocent lives were lost. These were not mere figures on a report; they were fathers, mothers, children, and breadwinners; families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and futures extinguished in moments of senseless brutality.

“Equally alarming is the rising trend of attacks against law enforcement and local security forces. In Kaduna and Niger States, more than 17 soldiers were killed in coordinated attacks, further destabilizing already fragile regions. Equally distressing was the massacre of over 40 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Ruggar Chida, brave individuals who stood on the frontlines to protect their communities, only to pay the ultimate price.

“Their deaths leave a void in local security structures, rendering civilians even more exposed to further violence.”

Ojukwu noted that: “The wave of insecurity plaguing our highways has also intensified. In June alone, more than 50 travellers were abducted along major transit routes in Kogi and Benue States. These are not isolated criminal acts; they represent a direct assault on the fundamental rights to freedom of movement, economic participation, and personal dignity. These abductions inflicts lasting trauma on victims and their families while further eroding public trust in the safety of our roads. This pattern of violence marked by impunity, fear, and systemic failure highlights a grave deficit in protection and accountability.”

He added that: “In the month of June, we received 327,154 complaints reflecting another sharp increase in human rights violations, each one a desperate plea for justice and a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done.

“To the government, we reiterate the need for decisive and coordinated security interventions. To civil society and the media, we urge sustained advocacy and amplification of these issues. To our development partners, we call for strengthened collaboration in addressing the root causes of these issues. This dashboard must not merely serve as a record of tragedies; it must be a catalyst for meaningful and sustainable change.

“Let us never forget; every complaint documented, every statistic recorded in these dashboards represents a Nigerian citizen, a fellow human being seeking justice, safety, and the fulfilment of their basic rights.

“The National Human Rights Commission remains unwavering in its mandate to promote, protect, and enforce human rights across Nigeria. We will forge ahead with purposeful and sustained action.”

NHRC: Over 320,000 Human Rights Violations Complaints Received in June

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