Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to solving the insecurity challenges facing the country and is not taking it lightly.
Shetiima made the assurances when he hosted the leadership of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Presidential Villa, the Vice President in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, emphasised the importance of collaborative action and called for wider support for NAN’s upcoming international lecture on Sahel security.
Shettima also called for regional and collective efforts to address the insecurity in West Africa’s Sahel region, observing that the situation in the region has significant implications for Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
He stated, “The international lecture NAN is organising is very timely, especially on the issue of insecurity in the Sahel. The security situation in the nation is something that the President is very much interested in and is not taking it lightly.”
The Vice President expressed optimism about the potential outcomes of the conference, saying, “I believe that with the calibre of people that will grace the lecture, you will come up with a lot of perspectives on how to address the insecurity in the Sahel in a holistic way.”
VP Shettima also commended NAN for its crucial role in Nigeria’s media landscape. “Your organisation plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s media landscape, helping to bridge the information gap and shape public discussion on national issues.”
Earlier, NAN’s Managing Director, Ali Mohammed Ali, disclosed the theme of the conference, “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges- Genesis, Impacts and Options.”
He announced that the lead speaker at the lecture billed for September 25, 2024 is former Chairperson of the ECOWAS Commission, Mohamed Ibn Chambas.
According to him, the conference is part of NAN’s efforts to expand its role beyond news dissemination to actively contributing to national discourse and problem-solving.
“NAN is organising its first international lecture as part of the media’s role to expand the frontiers of knowledge and find solutions to problems,” Ali explained.
He outlined several initiatives aimed at enhancing NAN’s reach and effectiveness, including the introduction of vernacular broadcasting, starting with a Hausa portal, plans to reopen international offices, particularly the London bureau, and efforts to intensify coverage across all 109 senatorial districts in Nigeria.
“No one knows Nigeria better than NAN,” Ali added, noting the agency’s extensive network of correspondents and offices across the country.
