Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for unity in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges, stressing that violence does not discriminate by religion, ethnicity, or social class.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on regional development organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja on Thursday, Shettima—represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia—said the administration met severe security problems upon assuming office and has adopted a coordinated strategy to ensure lasting peace and stability.
“A bullet or a bomb knows neither ethnicity nor religion,” Shettima said. “When fired by enemies of peace, it kills the farmer and the trader alike, destroying the very fabric of our multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.”
He urged leaders and institutions to play active roles in restoring national unity and to counter divisive narratives with empathy-driven communication.
According to him, the government is strengthening public institutions to ensure equitable development, noting that no nation can claim progress unless all regions advance together.
Shettima highlighted the creation of regional development commissions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to decentralise growth and bring development closer to the people. The commissions, he said, are designed to address region-specific needs while fostering cooperation and shared learning.
His remarks come amid renewed global scrutiny following the U.S. government’s decision to list Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged targeted killings of Christians.
