Vice President Kashim Shettima has officially inaugurated the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme in Kaduna State, nearly two years after the community was affected by a military drone accident.
The newly rebuilt settlement features 133 completed housing units, modern educational facilities, and other state-of-the-art infrastructure.
The Vice President had visited the victims in December 2023, assuring them that President Bola Tinubu had directed the resettlement scheme to be prioritised. In July 2024, he returned to Tudun Biri to perform the groundbreaking ceremony under the Resettlement Scheme for Persons Impacted by Conflict (RSPIC).
Speaking on Friday in Igabi Local Government Area, VP Shettima described the project as “another promise fulfilled by President Tinubu.”
Good Governance
He emphasised that the initiative reflects a governance philosophy centred on serving citizens, healing divisions, and strengthening national stability.
“Today stands as a living demonstration of that principle. The commissioning of the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme is an assurance of our collective belief that fairness is the glue that holds a nation together, and that compassion is not a weakness of the state, but its moral strength.
“We have gathered here to commission a resettlement scheme. But far more importantly, we are here to demonstrate our national commitment to responsibility, empathy, and the protection of human dignity,” he stated.
VP Shettima added that justice in governance is reflected in quiet actions that protect vulnerable citizens, restore communities, and ensure people are not rendered invisible by misfortune.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s resolve to respond decisively to humanitarian crises and internal displacement, stating:
“The Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme is a vehicle for hope for families whose lives were disrupted. It is a practical assurance that the Nigerian state does not abandon its citizens in times of adversity.
“It represents a conscious shift towards solutions that restore stability, rebuild livelihoods, and create the conditions for lasting peace.”
The Vice President explained that the scheme is implemented under the RSPIC, “a Federal Government initiative designed to deliver durable recovery and resettlement interventions in affected communities.”
Expanded Interventions
VP Shettima assured that Tudun Biri is not an isolated case, emphasising that “similar resettlement and recovery projects are underway across Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, and Benue States.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring no community is left behind in Nigeria’s “shared journey towards recovery and renewal.”
The Vice President also praised the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, for his administration’s “constructive partnership and inclusive approach to governance”.
“The success of initiatives such as this rests on collaboration, trust, and shared ownership between the Federal Government, state authorities, host communities, and development partners,” he added.
Governor Sani, speaking at the event, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for demonstrating “compassion, leadership and decisive intervention,” and commended VP Shettima for his role in overseeing the resettlement scheme.
“This reflects a clear belief that the dignity of citizens must be central to governance. I also commend the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, whose leadership and oversight were instrumental to the success of this effort,” the Governor said.
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, described the inauguration as “a significant milestone in the federal government’s commitment to restoring dignity, stability and opportunity for communities affected by humanitarian crisis.”
She noted that the initiative is anchored in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, which prioritises people-centred recovery, national security, and inclusive development.
While the original project design included 143 housing units, ten units were converted into a school facility to meet the educational needs of children in the settlement.
Responding on behalf of beneficiaries, Mrs Aisha Haruna and Mr Solomon John expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and VP Shettima for their “sustained efforts to bring relief to the people and communities affected by humanitarian crisis in Tudun Biri and other communities across the country.”