Security experts and stakeholders have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to integrate the nation's youth into the security framework as a proactive strategy to curb rising crime rates.
The appeal was made during a Youth Leadership Summit held on Saturday in Sagamu, Ogun State, where participants stressed the need for youth engagement in addressing criminal activities, particularly in the southern regions of the country.
The experts highlighted the growing wave of crime among the youth, which they believe threatens not only national security but also the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
They argued that involving young people in the security sector would create a sense of responsibility and awareness of the law, ultimately deterring criminal behavior.
Idowu Ojelabi, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), represented by Chief Superintendent Adesanya Lawrence of the Ago-Iwoye Division, emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between security agencies and the youth.
He suggested that by incorporating young individuals into the security system, they would become more conscious of their role in society's safety.
“The security job is not meant for security agencies alone.
“One way forward is to organize programs that educate the youth on their rights and how they can collaborate with security agencies.”
Adding to the discussion, Bamisaye Funmilayo, Staff Officer of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Remo Command, raised concerns about the alarming rate of drug abuse among youths, especially in the Southwest.
She urged the government to intervene quickly to address this pressing issue, which she described as a root cause of criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Mogaji Olaniyan, National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), advocated for dialogue as the best approach to combating crime among young people.
"Dialogue is the only way, arresting our youth, putting them in prison will harden them. We'll continue to engage our youth constructively.
Speaking with newsmen at the event, Convener Janet Olaolu disclosed that the intention of this program is to foster a working relationship between the youths and the security operatives in order to discourage criminal activities among them.
"We want to see the youths work together with the security officials of the community. We see that there's a communication gap between security operatives and he youth in the community of sagamu especially.
"There's a lot of security threats going on in Sagamu, we need to find a way where the youth are not just used as political thugs , they can work together with security operatives so that they can understand why these security officials do what they do.
The event was graced by several dignitaries, including the Commissioner for Sports in Ogun State, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka; the former Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Edward Ajogun; the Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Hon. Ola Oresanya; the National Chairman of the PCRC, Alhaji Mogaji Olaniyan; the Ogun State NSCDC Commandant, Idowu Ojelabi, represented by Chief Superintendent of Corps, Adesanya Lawrence of the Ago-Iwoye Division; and the Staff Officer of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Remo Command, Bamisaye Funmilayo.
