A group under the aegis of Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI) has announced plans to mobilise 50 million Nigerians as part of efforts to address the challenges facing the northern region.
The director-general of the initiative, Dr Abdullahi Idris, disclosed this in Kaduna during a meeting to rally support across the northern states.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Dr Idris highlighted the pressing issues facing the north including poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment, stating that the region has fallen behind in all indices of progress.
“We are the poverty capital of the world. Our region is plagued by multidimensional poverty, out-of-school children, deteriorating infrastructure and insecurity. You can hardly travel from one state to another without fear. Kidnappings and killings have become commonplace, with entire communities being wiped out. Yet, there is no strong voice advocating for us,” Dr Idris lamented.
Dr Idris emphasised the importance of youth empowerment, noting that young people in the north are in a “sorry state.” The movement aims to prepare the youth for leadership roles while providing them with the necessary guidance, skills and opportunities to drive change.
“This movement was birthed by well-meaning individuals like former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa and Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, who felt that it was time to give back to the public. “Our focus is to unite the north, empower our youth and provide solutions to our region’s challenges,” he added.
