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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Meaningful youth empowerment is the most effective tool for tackling insecurity in Nigeria, the Director General of the City Boy Movement, Mr. Oluwatosin Francis Shoga, has said.
Speaking at the Imo State Youth Stakeholders’ Security Summit held in Owerri on Friday, Shoga emphasized that equipping young people with skills, financial access, and business knowledge is essential to building a safe and stable nation.
He warned that unless youths are meaningfully engaged, they remain vulnerable to recruitment into criminal activities and social vices.
“When young people have skills, access to finance, and the knowledge to run businesses, they become builders, not destroyers.
“More importantly, they won’t be lured into social vices of any kind”, Shoga said.
Shoga also affirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not assume office just to manage Nigeria but to transform it through the Renewed Hope agenda.
He reiterated that the administration remains committed to securing the country, despite ongoing threats and challenges.
“No amount of threat or personal interest will jeopardize the safety of Nigeria.
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“Retreat is not an option. Surrender is not on the table. The path to peace may be tough, but with unity, determination, and faith in the Renewed Hope agenda, we shall overcome”, he stressed.
The summit, themed “Imo Safety: The Youth Responsibility,” was organized to galvanize young people into playing an active role in ensuring security in their communities.
The Imo State Commissioner for Youth and Talent Hunt, Mandella Ukaegbu, described the summit as an initiative of Governor Hope Uzodinma, aimed at involving the youth in shaping a secure future for the state.
“His Excellency has introduced several empowerment programmes, and now is the time for the youth to take ownership of the state’s safety. Our youth are ready to build and not destroy”, Ukaegbu said.
Security agencies present at the summit urged youths to report suspicious individuals or activities, warning that crime thrives where communities are passive.
They also discouraged cultism and drug abuse, which they described as major drivers of insecurity.
Highlights of the event included the presentation of peace ambassador awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to peacebuilding in Imo State. Among the awardees were Chief Goodluck Nwaneri, the Imo State Director of City Boy Movement; 2010 World Bodybuilding and Powerlifting Champion, Prince Kennedy Nwamkpa; and veteran Nollywood actor, Harry B Anyanwu.
The summit ended with a unified call for collaboration among government, youth groups, community leaders, and civil society to promote peace, unity, and national transformation.
