Insecurity: Stakeholders advocate youth inclusiveness, surveillance expansion

Following rising insecurity across the nation, especially South East region, a cross section of stakeholders have called for youth involvement as well as expansion of security surveillance services as part of effective means of checking the dangerous trend.

Some of the participants to a One Day Security Summit organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria[NYCN] in Anambra, emphasised the urgent need to address the current security challenges of incessant attacks on public infrastructure, security formations and high profile killings.

The State Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service, Barrister Emmanuel Nwakeze, regretted that crime rate continued to rise in geometric progression and charged youths to play active role in assisting security agencies with useful information in the fight against crime and criminality.

While describing youths as the lifewire of every nation filled with vigour and vitality, he urged them to eschew all forms of negative indulgences but rather occupy their mind with useful ventures that could add values to their lives.

”I want you to be engaged in those things that will promote your future,say no to cultism,rape,banditry and terrorism.Be job creators,get educated as the currency for future competition,be vigilant and security conscious,” he said.

Divisional Police Officer, Anambra East Council, Godwin Onyebuchi Mba, mentioned factors that could trigger insecurity to include greed, illiteracy, bad leadership, laziness and corruption, pointing out that youths which constitute 70% of the nations population must be awake to societal norms and values.

He explained that youths have vital role to play in the areas of intelligence, information gathering and dissemination, participation in leadership  and orientation about security agencies to address numerous security challenges facing the nation.

In a goodwill message, National Deputy President of NYCN,Comrade Innocent Nduanya, said time is ripe for government to effectively engage youths to assist law enforcement agencies in providing securrity to reclaim the social space.

He, then, appealed to government at all level to consider provision of grant and other support services to the body to enhance their activities geared towards empowering the youths.

The Chairman on the occasion, Chief Alex Onukwue,immediate past president of Anambra State Association of Town Unions, while stating that the price we pay for freedom is eternal vigilance and timely remedial actions,called for more strategic planning in order to restore peace in all parts of the region.

Earlier, the Coordinator, NYCN, Anambra East Council Chapter, Comrade Peter Nnekwe, said the summit was staged to brainstorm and cross pollinate ideas on security issues currently on the front burner.

He  described the theme’Role of Youths in Tackling Security Challenges” as apt,adding that inputs from stakeholders and security experts would go a long way in assisting to chart a path to the hydra headed security challenges being experienced in the nation.

”We believe that Nigeria’s massive youth population can be exploited to improve her present security situation and to change the narratives from what presently obtain to a more desirable situation,” he noted.

Nnenna.O