Retired Maj. Gen. Umahi tasks youths on national security

Tue, Mar 9, 2021
By editor
3 MIN READ

Security

 By Paul Ukpabio

OBI Umahi, a retired major general of the Nigerian Army, has said that youths, who constitutes 65 percent of the population have a pivotal role to play in national security.

Umahi stated this when he delivered a paper on “National Security Threats:  Issues, Way Forward and The Roles of Youths at the Ebonyi Youth Summit held at the weekend.

According to him, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes said that, “people must give up their individual autonomy and privileges in order to secure a collective freedom and security under a strong, central security government.”

He said that security threats meaning insecurity, is the state of being subject to danger or injury. The anxiety that is experienced when one feels vulnerable or insecure, that is when insecure means feeling of not being safe or protected.

Issues of insecurity or lack of it has huge implications for Nigerian youths as they constitute about 65%of the Nigerian population.

Umahi stated that insecurity accounted for the SARS protest by youths across the nation which took place in October 2020.

He listed the causes of insecurity in Nigeria as corruption, bad governance, poorly conceived education system, poverty and ethno-religious bigotry.

These results in terrorism, insurgency, herders and farmers conflicts, kidnappings, banditry, armed robberies, militant activities, cultism, boundary disputes and cyber-crimes.

He acknowledged that 50 percent of youth indulge in crimes partly do to no fault of theirs even though some Nigerian youths are into crime related activities within and outside the country.

A cross section of youths at the summit

However, he acknowledged that, “most armed robbers, militants, kidnappers, cultists, drug dealers and users and those involved in cybercrimes are youths. In civil unrest, it is youths that embark on destruction of government owned infrastructure, vehicles, arson and constitute severe threats to lives and properties.”

To prevent youth crime and help governments at all levels and all stakeholders to fight insecurity in the country which will enhance economic development for the betterment of every Nigerian, Umahi suggested punishment for corrupt leaders.

He also called for improvement in education, declaration of national emergency on security, intelligence gathering and mass security awareness.

He advocated for state policing and programmes to make youths to be aware of their role in restoration of national security.

“Insecurity is the worst threat any nation can face because it impacts negatively on all facets of human existence. In proffering solutions on the way out of our present level of insecurity, I purposely created an opportunity to hear directly from the youths. I wish that their views will be diligently documented to enrich the outcome of the conference,” he added.

– Mar. 9, 2021 @ 11:00 GMT |

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