The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has urged politicians not to use youths as instruments of violence in the pursuit of their political ambitions.
Governor Ahmed, who made this known at the maiden security summit organised by Ilorin Emirate Descendants Union (IEDPU) at the weekend, said youths needed jobs and not guns, adding that politicians should desist from exploiting the unemployment situation in country by using idle youths as tools for the realization of their selfish political ambitions.
“Our youths need jobs and a secure future. What they do not need and, therefore, do not deserve, are guns and machetes that will blight their lives.
“Only through working together, can we surmount the hidden and obvious security threats confronting our country. To us the people, it does not matter who offers the best protection and security; what counts, is that our lives are safe and our property secure,” he said.
The governor charged Nigerians to also remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies through the appropriate channels that offered anonymity and safety.
According to him, the most reliable and actionable intelligence came from the neighbourhood, where crime was hatched and committed.
The governor said policies and programmes of his administration were borne out of the realisation of the social, economic and security imperative of ensuring that youths were productively engaged to prevent restiveness.
