We Are Aiming At Promoting Mutual Understanding Among Youths, Security Agencies In Nigeria-NGO By Kalshingi H Jedidah
Foundation for Youth Awakening and Empowerment a Non Governmental Organisation NGO based in Gombe has said it has set a target to reach out to the Nigerian youth with a view to promoting mutual understanding and confidence building between the youth and security agencies.
The NGO’s Executive Director Mrs Linda Alabura stated in her good will message at the event of project inception and stakeholder’s forum organised by the NGO that, the project tagged ‘gyara kayanka’ in Hausa, meaning take care of your property, was targeted at promoting trust and understanding between security personnel and general public particularly the youth.
According to her the current situation of insecurity and increasing rate of criminality in Nigeria mostly involve the youth who are supposed to be groomed towards securing the future of the country. This reason she said has called for the action.
Adding that project will work towards reducing stigma and unwanted frictions between the two parties in a way that would project peace as well as facilitating harmony among communities, reduce crime rate and assist in combating insecurity and terrorism in the country.
Also speaking at the forum, DSP Omaka Ehidinma who represented Gombe State Police Commissioner CP Abdullahi Kudu Nma expressed that, initiating the project was a laudable achievement particularly at this time when the country was facing a lot of challenges. He noted that 80% of people involved in crime are the youth and that most of them are uneducated.
With this he said, if government, individuals and groups in the country begin to give more attention on education, most of the youth would be educated and that such will go go a long way in reducing crime in the society.
On his part, Yakubu Chidama Legal adviser to the Nigerian Prisons in Gombe expressed that some of the problems militating against achieving mutual understanding between the youth and security agencies were lack of knowledge on civil -security relationship by most of Nigerian security agencies, this according to him was the reason many security personnel are having difficulty operating in a civil society.
Chidama also advised that, it is high time Nigerians begin to look after each other, as well as strive towards promoting peaceful co-existence among various groups in the society.
Speaking on the issue of illegal drugs consumption among the youth. Mr Joseph Yohanna from National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA advised that, government should include into school curriculum, education on the dangers of consumption of illegal drugs so as inculcate into the younger generation the knowledge about dangers of illegal drugs.
According to him, the use of hard drugs among the youth has yielded many negative outcomes in the Nigerian society.
The forum was attended by various security and paramilitary agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Boys Brigade, Nigerian Immigration, Custom, Police, and some youth groups.
