Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja from Luanda, Angola, after he represented President Bola Tinubu at the 7th African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Summit.
Shettima had earlier departed Johannesburg for Luanda on Sunday, following a productive outing at the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa, where he also stood in for the President.
In Angola, the Vice President delivered President Tinubu‘s address, in which the Nigerian leader renewed calls for Africa to secure permanent, veto-wielding seats on the United Nations (UN) Security Council, insisting that comprehensive reform of the global governance architecture is long overdue.
President Tinubu, in his message, also urged the European Union (EU) to work with Africa in co-creating peace and security initiatives rooted in African-led frameworks, describing such partnerships as essential to achieving lasting stability across the continent.
He further reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong commitment to promoting peace, security, and democratic governance across Africa, and to deepening collaboration with the EU in building a more stable, equitable, and prosperous global order.
Earlier, at the opening session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, President Tinubu, represented by Shettima, called for a more equitable and responsive mechanism for managing global financial flows, as well as a sincere, collective effort to tackle recurring sovereign debt crises in a manner that meets the needs of all nations.
In his address, the President noted that current multilateral frameworks no longer reflect the complexities of today’s world, having been “built in an era far removed from present challenges.”
At the third session of the G20 Summit, he also advocated for a global framework ensuring that communities hosting critical minerals in Nigeria and across Africa benefit through value addition at the source.
Additionally, he backed the creation of global ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate inclusive development worldwide.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, ordered a total security cordon around forests in Kwara State, following a surge in kidnappings and terrorist activity, according to Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
Dare said the President has directed the Nigerian Air Force to intensify aerial surveillance over the deepest stretches of the forests where criminals are believed to be hiding.
The operation, he noted, will run round the clock, with air assets maintaining constant communication and coordination with ground troops.
The Presidential aide explained that the same directive applies to the Kebbi and Niger State axes, where joint operations are expected to facilitate the rescue of kidnapped victims.
Communities in the affected regions have also been urged to provide timely intelligence on suspicious movements to aid security forces in restoring safety, Dare added.
