NGO identifies Youth exclusion as reason for insecurity in Nigeria

A foremost non-governmental organisation, Livesavers Ambassadors International (LISIAM) has identified youths exclusion from governance and socio-economic welfare packages of government as reasons triggering restiveness and insecurity in the country.

LISIAM, an international organization with its presence in the United States of America and Nigeria bemoaned the lack of mentorship of the younger generation by the older ones, saying the vacuum should be bridged in order to instilled disciples into the youths.

Speaking at the National Youth Peace Summit in Abuja on Thursday, its President, Dr. Juanita Nwendu, insisted that youths should be given opportunity to contribute to the national development by creating an enabling environment.

Dr. Juanita noted that society was changing fast with the advent of social media which was being used to echoing dissenting voices, adding that misguided elements were spreading falsehood out of frustration.

She said: “Before this summit, I took my time visit some States where I had meetings with some of the youth leaders to see how the youths can be meaningfully engaged so as ton reduce the drug and insecurity issues we are experiencing in the country.

“The major issue emanating from most quarters has to do with “youth exclusion’; the youths are not adequately carried along and the needed mentorship by the older generation is lacking.

“The youths need opportunity to contribute to national development, but this can only be possible if the right space or environment is provided by the authorities.

“Our country is at an epic moment currently, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. Voices of dissent and division is getting louder more than any other time in the history of the nation.

According to her, there were fifth columnists pushing the hands of agitators and clamour of secession as a result of unemployment which has made the good number of youths made themselves available for anything.

She lamented the high rate of crime in Nigeria, saying: “The multitude of unemployed youths is even making the situation more inflammable as the youths are in the forefront of this unhealthy campaign.

“Political instability citizen alienation terrorism and violence define the Nigerian crime scene. Nigeria has recently been included among the countries with the least peace in the world, according to the Global Peace Index. It’s the 17th less peaceful state.

The NGO insisted that unity of Nigeria was to advantage of all, while expressing lamentation that Nigerians were seeing the military and police as instrument of oppression.

In his goodwill message, Major MB Sabo representing the Chief of Army Staff commended the Livesavers Ambassadors International for the peace summit.

Speaking on insecurity in his personal capacity, the military officer stressed that military alone or Security agencies cannot fix insecurity in Nigeria without cooperation of Nigerians.

He noted that in as much as all hand must be joined together to apply kinetic and non kinetic approaches to solve insecurity in Nigeria, the military also need information from the civil public to tame the tide of criminality.

Before now, peace was enjoyed in this country which was the commitments of the founding fathers, while he solicited all and sundry to work for unity is the nation.