Against the backdrop ofemerging  security challenges plaguing the country, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen CG Musa has tasked Nigerian youths to actively contribute to intelligence gathering, community engagement andto inculcate integration of technology solutions as measures to curb insecurity in the country.

General Musa gave the advice in Abuja on Thursday at the National Security Summit with the theme “Curbing Insecurity in Nigeria: Achieving a Robust and Sustainable Economy for a New Nigeria Youth Inclusive in Nation Building.”

The CDS who waa represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Abraham Adole, submitted that “youths hold the potential in enhancing the effectiveness of the security efforts.”

He said “the idea of Multi-Agency collaboration in Nigeria security domain is not a novel concept. However, the pivotal question that confronts us is whether we have fully exploited the benefits of such Corporation, Are there still untapped opportunities for improvement?

“The CDS has extensively visited most security agencies, he has not sat back to wait for them to come to him but proactively he has gone out and met almost all of them.

“All this is in the effort to ensure that we all collaborate in dealing with these security challenges. I am inclined to believe that these questions have informed the choice of the summit team.

“It is my fervent hope that the communication emerging from our deliberations will not only acknowledge the strides made but also propose Innovative and workable strategies to further end insecurities in our beloved nation”.

Adole continued, “They engage in these summits to drew confidence from the caliber of resource persons and guests present as they started with a wonderful presentation by the first presenter.”

He said the depth of knowledge, expertise and commitment in the summit assured him that the interaction would be robust and result oriented

He acknowledged the meticulous efforts of the Green Assembly initiative and collaborating youth organizers of this summit, saying “organising such an event demands dedication, commitment, and diligence, and your hard work has not gone unnoticed.”

The The Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, represented by the Director of Account and Finance, Mrs. Ebere Moluko, highlighted various security challenges facing the nation, including kidnapping, banditry, cybercrime, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.

Wike emphasised that these activities, including those of non state actors, have destabilised communities and pose threats to national security.

He noted  however that through robust collaboration among various security agencies, they have been able to address these issues and are working to ensure that all residents of the FCT can sleep with both eyes closed.

He shared the administration’s efforts, particularly in tackling kidnapping, “one chance,” and other crimes adding that, “The administration established a Task Force named Operation Safe FCT, which has significantly reduced these incidents.

Furthermore, the Minister said that the administration, through the FCT management exercise under its command and control, has worked with relevant security agencies to remove shanties and makeshift houses that harbor criminal elements, leading to the arrest of suspected criminals and drug dealers.

“The administration will continue to provide timely logistics support to enhance the agencies’ operations.

“The FCT administration is aware of the importance of having its intervention outfit to respond to crime as they occur and is in the process of actualising it.

The Convener of the 2024 National Security Summit and Chairman of the Green Assembly Initiative, Comrade Duke Alamboye, emphasised the need to involve youths in the fight against insurgency, as many of these activities are perpetrated by youths and can also be solved by them.

He noted that without involving youths, addressing these challenges would be difficult, as they have a crucial role to play.

He added that the “the initiative is gathering data of hundreds of youths to give to security agencies for the youths to start helping in curbing insecurity in the country.”

The Director General of the Nigerian Army Resource Center, Major Gen Garba Wahab gave a lecture on the need fou youths to shun criminality, bad influences and cultism among other, for them to be able to realize their potentials