The Ogun State Government through the State Economic Transformational Project (OGSTEP), has trained over 21,000 youths in vocational, digital and other related skills with the aim to equip them with necessary expertise for a secured future.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, made this known at the 2025 Youth Security Submit, with the theme: “Youth-led Security Strategy for a Safer Nigeria” at the NUT hall Kuto, Abeokuta.
Governor Abiodun who was represented by his Special Adviser on Information and Communication, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said his administration in the past six years, had taken measurable steps that reinforced youth empowerment as a foundation for community security.
He revealed also that over 31,000 residents had been equipped with Skills through the Ogun State Skills Fund to build their human capacity, reduce the number of vulnerabilities and engendered sustainable security in the State.
The Governor further said that measures were taken to empower the youth and these include; graduation of the first CyberSquad Digital Technicians from Ogun TechHub after a 3-month intensive training, strengthening of the Amotekun Corps, through additional recruitment of youthful operatives, renewed anti-cultism campaigns in tertiary institutions and expansion of counselling and mentorship programmes for at-risk youth in the society.
He particularly mentioned the rehabilitation processes engaged in other to bring back to normal life, youths affected by drug abuse and those that were exposed to crime early in life, not forgetting empowerment initiatives across the State, including skills-acquisition programmes in all local governments to promote self-reliance and reduce socio-economic drivers of insecurity.
In his words” It should be noted that sustainable security in Ogun State and across Nigeria require the active involvement and leadership of young people. The challenges of our time — cybercrime, cultism, drug abuse, highway threats and emerging vulnerabilities all needed drastic attention.
“Youth-led security strategies do not mean assigning policing duties to young people. Rather, they refer to structured avenues where the youth contribute meaningfully to securing our society through community intelligence, digital early-warning tools, civic influence, campus peace building, social media awareness, neighborhood vigilance and technology-enabled reporting systems.
He charged participants at the Submit to examine youth-led strategies that could enhance the security of Ogun State and Nigeria at large, urging for exploration of practical, scalable ideas from young people.
“This summit is coming at a time Nigeria is in a dire state of insecurity and it cannot be more timely than now. For them to have deemed it fit to have organised this type of event to sensitize our youths on how to be security conscious and also to know their role in terms of relating with security agencies, is a very noble initiative. I want to urge our youths to do more of these to be able to sensitize their generation because the future belongs to them,’’ he noted.
Also speaking at the event, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lanre Ogunlowo, represented by ASP Omotayo Olugbenga, said though, security agencies have been assigned to detect and prevent crime, but everyone has the role of ensuring security in the society, hence, the need for the citizens to always cooperate and support security agencies with useful information.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corp, Abayomi Fasakin, represented by Cdr. Abdulganiyu Adesola, called on the youth not to allow themselves to be used for chaotic events in the society, just as he admonished them to observe traffic rules during the festive period.
Chairman, Nigeria Youth Organisation, Ogun State Chapter, Comrade Saka Olanrewaju, in his remarks, maintained that security is a combined effort, accordingly, it is the responsibility of everyone to be the information channel for security in Nigeria.
