Vice President Kashim Shettima has pledged the federal government’s preparedness to secure and develop Nigeria’s border communities to improve the lives of residents and the security situation in the country.
The vice president who stated this during a meeting with a delegation from the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, noted the challenges faced by the communities, including insecurity and lack of basic amenities.
“Most of the challenges we face stem from our poor border security evident in the free flow of light weapons and ammunition across the border. We need to address the role of the BCDA in changing the security landscape of our country,” Shettima said.
He stressed the importance of border communities in national security and pledged continued support for their development needs.
The vice president acknowledged the need for residents to feel a sense of belonging as Nigerians and assured of the government’s commitment to improving access to healthcare and other essential services for the residents of these communities.
Shettima also urged the BCDA to develop a roadmap for strengthening the agency, highlighting the need for increased government funding.
The agency’s executive secretary, Junaid Abdullahi, acknowledged the challenges of limited resources and expressed hope that under Shettima’s leadership, the agency would receive the necessary support to fulfill its mandate.
