The Coalition of Nigerian Youths on Security and Safety Affairs has called on the Nigerian Government to significantly strengthen support for security agencies.
The call was made by the Director-General of the coalition, Ambassador Ade Mario Emmanuel, at a multi-stakeholder security summit on social vices held in Kano, with participants drawn from representatives of key national institutions and across the North-West.
The summit, organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, brought together officials of security agencies, paramilitary organisations, and anti-graft bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the National Orientation Agency, among others.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Emmanuel stressed that properly empowering security agencies through improved salaries, allowances, and working conditions would boost morale and enhance operational effectiveness across the country.
Ambassador Emmanuel also underscored the central role of youths in addressing insecurity, noting that young people remain the most affected by violence and displacement, particularly in the North-West.
He explained that the summit was designed to foster a new security consciousness, rebuild trust between youths and security agencies, and promote collaboration with community leaders and traditional institutions.
“Our focus is clear: to unite and engage young people, redirect their energies towards productive ventures, and instil the belief that social vices are not the way forward,” he said.
The coalition further urged governments at all levels to develop policies that prioritise youth empowerment and actively incorporate youth-driven ideas into security strategies, describing such inclusion as critical to reducing hostility and mistrust.
Heads of key security and enforcement agencies present at the summit pledged stronger collaboration with the youth group.
The Kano State Commander of the NDLEA, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, expressed the agency’s readiness to partner with any credible organisation in the fight against drug abuse.
Similarly, the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, represented by Muhammed Hassan, warned youths against the “get-rich-quick” syndrome, while emphasising the importance of collective action in combating financial crimes and other social vices.
The Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Bakori, represented by ACP Suleiman Aliyu, reaffirmed the police’s commitment to combating crime through community engagement and intelligence-led policing.
A lecture on “Security Challenges in Northern Nigeria” was delivered by security consultant, Dr. Yahuza Getso, represented by Mr. Ahmad Rufai, who highlighted the need for sustained cooperation between government, security agencies, and young people to achieve lasting peace nationwide.