The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to double his efforts to combat all forms of criminality facing the country.

The council told the President in a letter on Monday that the Nigerian youths will be productively engaged and less prone to criminality, if security improves.

The president, NYCN, Solomon Adodo, who read the letter during the council's Post International Youth Day 2020 Economic Opportunities Awareness Rally in Abuja, said Nigeria is undergoing security challenges because it is going through massive reforms and transformation.

“We are very convinced that with the new dual approach of tackling the underlying challenges (developmental factors) whilst combating the insurgents, insecurity will gradually peter out,” Adodo said.

He also tasked the President on greater inclusion of youths in government’s policy making and execution in fine-tuning his transformative policies, programmes and projects.

He said the council has exposed young Nigerians to Buhari’s transformative programmes and policies in Agriculture, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Science and Technology, we are working to build greater synergy with government to get greater in-road in bringing the willing youths to meet with the available opportunities.

He reiterated that the council have already built partnerships with agencies in agriculture, SMEs and ICT in order to bring their works closer to the youths and have also developed the Nigerian Youth Farms/Industrial Estate to mobilise millions of youths into agriculture and industry, using soft loans, adding that “this is in addition to several other programmes like the SMEs and ICT Hubs which shall be built across the nation.”

Adodo therefore urged the President to ensure that young Nigerians will have less difficulty in assessing information and taking advantage of the opportunities.

He also pleaded with Buhari not to allow anybody to sabotage his vision in establishing the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) by politicising its directorate.

“This programme, which is novel, is so important in turning the fortunes of young people. We cannot thank you enough for this as it has gone to further demonstrate your fadeless love for the youth.

“Therefore, only the true representatives of the youths who have programmes which are in line with the vision and mission of the NYIF should be represented in the Fund. It is our appeal that your personal supervision of the Fund must not be waived,” he said.

Adodo further assured the President of the youths’ unwaivering support in achieving the goals of his administration.

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