Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday called for a united front in tackling the complex challenges of migration, poverty, and climate change, warning that failure to act collectively could lead to greater national and regional instability.
 
Quoting civil rights icon, the late Martin Luther King Jr., Shettima declared: “We must either learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” 
 
The Vice President made the remark when he received a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), led by its Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Sharon Dimanche, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
 
He stressed that Nigeria’s migration and humanitarian challenges were deeply rooted in poverty, environmental degradation, and violent conflict, especially in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central zones.
 
“There is a direct correlation between climate change, insecurity, and forced migration. You cannot separate the economy from the ecology in sub-Saharan Africa,” Shettima said.
 
He commended the IOM’s longstanding interventions in supporting displaced persons and rebuilding livelihoods, noting his personal history of partnership with the organisation dating back to his time as governor of Borno State.
 
“I urge you to increase support for the North Central and other crisis-prone regions. We need inclusive and pragmatic solutions that foster national unity, promote gender empowerment, and reverse environmental destruction,” he added.
 
In her remarks, the IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission praised the Federal Government’s commitment to responsible migration governance and disaster preparedness. She noted the diversity of Nigeria’s 36 states as both a challenge and an opportunity for tailored, impactful programmes.
 
“Since I arrived in Nigeria, I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen. Every state is different; it’s like one Africa in one country.
 
“We are particularly encouraged by the government’s launch of the State Action Plan on Floods and the Framework for Anticipatory Action,” Dimanche said.
 
She reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s durable solutions agenda through data, shelter provision, climate resilience, and youth empowerment initiatives.
 
Dimanche also proposed a joint initiative with the Vice President’s office to mobilise resources for sustainable, long-term solutions to displacement, migration management, and community development.
 
Both parties agreed on the need for deeper collaboration to ensure that migration becomes a managed opportunity rather than a humanitarian crisis.