Shettima urges national unity, rejects ethnic profiling at Jang’s 80th birthday

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday called for a renewed national commitment to peace, urging Nigerians to reject ethnic profiling, religious hatred, misinformation and retaliatory violence as the country confronts persistent security challenges.

Shettima made the appeal in Jos during the 80th birthday celebration and public presentation of the autobiography of former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah David Jang, where he reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving security and promoting national unity.

The Vice President said lasting peace was a shared responsibility of government, traditional and community leaders as well as citizens, stressing that sustainable development could only thrive in an atmosphere of security and trust.

“A people at peace is the highest achievement of any government because peace is the soil in which every other blessing grows,” he said.

He noted that economic prosperity depended on peace across communities, arguing that insecurity in one part of the country inevitably affected the wellbeing of others.

Describing Plateau as “Nigeria in miniature,” Shettima said the state’s diversity, history of conflict and ongoing recovery reflected the country’s broader challenges and aspirations.

He warned against blaming entire ethnic or religious groups for the actions of criminals, insisting that crime should never be associated with any community.