Make security a priority, south-west youths tell Buhari

Three socio-cultural and non-governmental groups, including, Southwest Youth Movement, Yoruba Koya Initiative and Arewa Youth Movement, have collectively charged President Muhammadu Buhari to make the security of the country a priority before the security challenges facing the country eventually results to the tribal and religious crisis.

The groups, at a media conference organised by the Southwest Youth Movement (SYM), which was attended by delegates from the six southwest states including, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos and Ekiti, also admonished the President Buhari to keep to his promises on the involvement of youth in his government, especially on the ongoing nomination and screening of ministerial nominees at the National Assembly, just as they adopted and publicly declared a Senate Leader, Professor Robert Boroffice, the leader of the groups in the region.

According to the convener and president of SYM, Comrade Temitope Ogunlade, noted that the groups, as grassroots organisations, have begun consultations with people in the local communities of the region to educate them on the need to collaborate with security operatives to tackle the challenges from bottom-up, while he also promised that the southwest youths are committed to support the federal and state governments to beef up the security in the country, especially in the southwest.

He added that the coalition between the groups was to ensure that the security challenge in the region doesn’t turn to a tribal or religious crisis, just as he added that government at all levels, beginning from the federal government, however, must give a clear direction as to how the issue is to be tackled headlong.

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Ogunlade, also told Tribune Online that efforts of the groups was to remind President Buhari to fulfil on his campaign promises to youths, especially on political inclusion and employment opportunities in his second-term administration.

Speaking on the selection of Senator Boroffice as a leader, on behalf of other zonal leaders of the groups at the press conference, held in Ibadan, Ogunlade said that the respected All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain has proven over the years through his commitment to impacting lives positively and contributing to the growth of Ondo State and the country at large.

Security is a collective responsibility and we all have to encourage the government with our prayers. The government needs to do more by ensuring balance and support for groups in the areas of security because it is obvious that the region is not safe anymore.

“Our groups believe in peace in ensuring that the country is secured. We are for peace and not violence. We have discovered that some people hide under the pretext of Fulani herdsmen to perpetrate evil and we are ready to nab them provided government gives the required support. We are already meeting traditional rulers and various ethnic groups in the region as part of our efforts at bringing lasting solutions to the issues of insecurity in the Southwest region,” he added.