North has tolerated too much poverty and corruption — VP Shettima reveals

Vice President Kashim Shettima has attributed the recent wave of vandalism and looting of public and private facilities in parts of northern Nigeria to poor leadership, widespread corruption, and entrenched poverty in the region.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for 20 indigent pupils of Hau’wa Memorial School (HMS), owned by AMA Foundation, Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmad, lamented the long-standing toleration of social vices, which he said has bred a generation with little regard for authority or the rule of law. He noted that the accumulation of these problems has led to the destruction of lives and property during the nationwide protests against economic hardship.

“For too long we have tolerated poverty, corruption, poor leadership, and we can see the result—a generation that has come up that has no respect for God, for the law of the land, for leadership, and for our values,” Shettima said.

The vice president expressed the federal government’s commitment, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to restoring Nigeria’s prosperity so that future generations can benefit from the legacies of past leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

Reflecting on the recent unrest, Shettima stated, “In the last two weeks, the country has gone through difficult times, mostly led by youth—young people who are angry because they are hungry, young people who do not see any prospects for a better future, young people who think the government does not care about them, and young people who have no respect for any authority because they believe every authority has let them down.”