Vice President Kashim Shettima has rejected birthday gifts, elaborate celebrations and other material gestures as he marks his 60th birthday, instead urging Nigerians to mark the occasion by supporting the needy and donating to charitable causes across the country.

Shettima made the appeal in a personal statement titled “What I Ask For at Sixty,” released ahead of his birthday.

The Vice President said attaining 60 should be a moment for reflection, gratitude and service, rather than an occasion for material accumulation or personal celebration.

He appealed to his friends, supporters, associates, well-wishers and admirers, both within and outside Nigeria, to refrain from spending money on gifts or ventures in his honour and instead channel such resources to a charity, worthy cause or individual in need.

Shettima said acts of kindness, regardless of their size, could make a significant difference in the lives of Nigerians facing difficult circumstances.

According to him, every act of kindness extended to another person would amount to “a candle lit” for him as he marks the milestone.

The Vice President acknowledged that his journey to 60 had been aided by the kindness and support of family, friends, teachers, colleagues, supporters, well-wishers and strangers.

He said the most appropriate way to repay such goodwill was by extending similar kindness to others who might never have the opportunity to reciprocate.

Shettima also asked Nigerians to replace birthday gifts and celebrations with prayers for him and the country.

He called for prayers for peace in Nigerian communities, prosperity for citizens, wisdom for the nation’s leaders and the fulfilment of Nigeria’s potential.

The Vice President described Nigeria as a country blessed with an industrious population, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a youthful population whose talent, ambition and imagination remain among its greatest national assets.

He expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their loyalty, affection, friendship and prayers over the years, wishing them long life, good health, fulfilment and the joy of helping others.

Ten of the 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted by suspected bandits in Kogi State have been rescued, the state Police Command has confirmed.

The corps members were abducted along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Naziru Bello Kankarofi, disclosed that security operatives were currently combing surrounding forests and intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining five victims.

Kankarofi also dismissed reports suggesting that the 10 rescued NYSC members were among the 11 persons rescued during a joint security operation conducted last week.

According to him, the 11 persons rescued during the earlier operation were other travellers who were caught up in the kidnapping incident and were not members of the NYSC group.

The police commissioner further disclosed that several suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack.

He assured that security agencies were sustaining operations in the area to locate and rescue the remaining abducted corps members.

The development comes amid renewed security concerns along major roads in Kogi State, particularly routes linking communities in the state to neighbouring areas.

_PDP 2027 Benue Gov Candidate Advocates Private Sector-Led Ranching, Backs State Police With Safeguards_

The 2027 Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a private sector-driven approach to ranching, saying its role should be to provide an enabling environment rather than directly own and operate ranches.

Speaking on Monday during an interview on _Arise News_, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice also endorsed the establishment of State Police, while calling for strong legal and institutional safeguards to prevent political abuse.

Aondoakaa argued that treating livestock production as a government-run venture would create confusion and deepen suspicion between farmers and communities.

“Livestock owners are private businessmen engaging in farming activities. There will be a disconnect and there will be confusion because the ranches are established by government and then they are to service private sector holders of cattle,” he said.

He proposed that government should focus on supporting the value chain through improved cattle breeds, affordable financing, fodder production, irrigation, and rural infrastructure, in the same way it stimulated investment in rice and wheat production.

“My understanding is that ranching should be done the way the rice and wheat value chain was created. Government should create the environment and allow private investors to drive the business,” he stated.

The senior lawyer emphasized that genetic improvement of Nigeria’s cattle breeds is critical to making ranching commercially viable. He also called for access to single-digit loans for livestock entrepreneurs.
“First, let us crossbreed the cattle that we have now so that they can give sufficient milk for commercial trading. Then allow them to borrow at interest rates below five percent and approach ranching as a private sector business,” he said.

According to him, private sector-led ranching could foster new economic partnerships, with crop farmers producing specialized grass and feed for ranches, thereby creating additional income streams while ensuring a stable supply of fodder.

He further noted that the model would help address fears around land grabbing linked to government ranching proposals, by encouraging voluntary commercial agreements between livestock owners and host communities.
“If a private individual comes and says, give me 100 hectares of land, I want to put my cows there, and can you help me farm for it? That can be a mutual understanding between farmers and the owner of the cows,” he explained.

“Livestock is only one component of Nigeria’s agricultural economy. If we now decide to take one aspect of farming and make it a public sector issue, then there will be more agitation by farmers across the country,” he cautioned.

On security, Aondoakaa described State Police as a timely and necessary reform to address Nigeria’s policing challenges. He recalled that the concept was first introduced during the 2009 constitutional reforms under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for moving the initiative forward, calling it “a very good thing.”

However, he stressed that recruitment into State Police must be shielded from political interference.
“The issue of recruitment must be handled in a manner that politicians are not allowed to bring in people who are not worthy to be police officers,” he said.

He also warned against decentralized arms procurement, saying it could create chaos if all 36 states were allowed to import weapons independently.
“There should be a level of control. It will be a lot of confusion if the entire 36 states go to the market and import arms for their state police,” he said, recommending a federal regulatory framework, possibly under the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Despite the potential risks, Aondoakaa described State Police as “a laudable project” that can strengthen security nationwide if properly structured. He further called for stronger judicial oversight at the local level to ensure magistrates can effectively check the operations of State Police formations.