The youths have been identified as critical stakeholders who are pivotal to the peace and security of Plateau State and the entire states currently experiencing all forms of insecurity in Nigeria. Hence, whatever measure that is being taken to nip the security challenges in the board will not succeed if the youths are not actively involved in the planning and execution of the strategy. Furthermore, it was agreed that youths in communities plays critical roles in ensuring that there is unity of purpose in order to defeat terrorism and insurgency through cross-boarder intelligence sharing among many other community-level interventions.
This was disclosed by Mr Luka Pampe, while delivering his Keynote address at Peace and Security Summit organized by the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Youth Council (PYC). The event which held on Saturday 20th January 2024 at the Azi Nyako Youth Center Dadin Kowa in Jos, with the theme ‘Redefining Youths Participation in Stemming the Tides of Community Attacks in Local Governments and Surveillance Strategies’ saw in attendance distinguished young personalities such as the young and vibrant Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and Member Representing Pankshin North State Constituency Rt Hon Gabriel Dewan Kudanbena, and the Member Representing Kanke State Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Youths, Hon Joseph Gokum who both gave their good will messages and declared their support for the initiative with cash and in kind.
Speaking to Journalists at the event, the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Youth Council, Comrade Musa said that considering that the young people are always at the receiving end of the lingering insecurity and attacks, has PRO of the Council, it was his duty to engage the youths to tell them what they need to know when it comes to security. “I felt that as young people we need to have an avenue where we can come together to discuss, to tell ourselves what we need to tell ourselves when it comes to security”.
“The idea is for us to have a common ground irrespective of our religion, irrespective of our political parties, irrespective of our tribes…I believe that we are all brothers and without unity we cannot summount the security challenges that we are really facing at this moment.” he said.
According to Comrade Walshak, the idea behind the summit is that as young people, there was need for them to come together and agree on things that need to be done, stressing that the resolutions that will be reached at the end of the summit will be practically implemented.
Nigeria Star News 