National Counterterrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA) has advocated the involvement of youths in countering violent extremism and terrorism in Nigeria.
The centre stated this at the opening of a two-day National Policy Dialogue themed, ‘’Youth Engagement and Empowerment Programme (YEEP)’’, organised by UNOCT in collaboration with ONSA, yesterday in Abuja.
The national coordinator, NCTC-ONSA, Rear Adm. Yaminu Musa (Rtd) in his remarks said the dialogue was aimed at fostering meaningful engagement with young people for a safer and more resilient communities.
Musa stated that the federal government’s firm stance on counterterrorism measures over the years had focused on policies and strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of violent extremism.
He said that the government believed that eliminating extremism would lead to ending terrorism, adding that the foundation of terrorism was radicalisation.
He also said that the national dialogue was an essential step towards facilitating the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
“So the objective of the programme is to increase the resilience of our young people against violent extremism and recruitment into terrorist groups.
“Youth empowerment remains therefore a veritable means to allay our grievances, make us to be part of the process, fast track development and engender a sustainable peace in Nigeria and the world globally.
“To this end, youths must be empowered economically and educationally because, education for instance, is critical to any role young people might play in violent extremism,’’ he said.
The Chief of PCVE Section, UNOCT, Ms Denise Lifton, said the dialogue was an opportunity to provide support to the future leaders who could shape a more positive and collaborative world.
Lifton called for constructive engagement between the youths, national authorities and civil society representatives on how to prevent violent extremism and their role in these efforts.
She said the world was currently confronted with growing global instability, reduced social cohesion and threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
The speaker, Nigerian Youth Parliament, Dr Azeezat Yishawu, said young people were the greatest victims of violent extremism because of their vulnerability.
Yishawu noted that youths were easily recruited or co-opted because of lack of education and skills, adding that only rich people could afford to purchase the kind of weapons being used by the terrorists.
She said that the factors that sustain insecurity varied in different parts of the country, adding that there was a need to address the root causes, to get it right.
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