Youths and students in Lagos State have been tasked on crime prevention and urged to be advocates of peace.
The call was made at the 12th National Youth Summit on Crime Prevention with the theme, ‘Empowering Youth: Building Safe and Inclusive Communities’.
It was organised by the African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention (AYICRIP) and held at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.
The organiser said youths and students were targeted for the programme because they were often at the centre of both the challenges and the solutions.
Founder/Chief Executive Director, AYICRIP, Christ Ibe, said the theme of the summit reflects the vision of a society where young people are not only protected from crime but are also pivotal in creating environments where everyone could thrive.
He said: “As the future leaders and innovators, it is essential that we harness our potential, energy, and creativity to foster communities where safety and inclusivity are the norms.
“Through providing young people with quality education and opportunities for personal development, we can steer them away from the path of crime.
“Education fosters critical thinking, empathy and resilience, which are essential qualities for building a safe and inclusive society. This summit, is therefore, exploring innovative educational approach and partnership that can help achieve this goal.”
Ibe said mental health is another critical area that cannot be overlooked. He stressed that the pressures and challenges faced by young people today could lead to mental health issues, which, if left unaddressed, could contribute to criminal behaviour.
Other resource persons that addressed the youths include Assistant Regional Security Officer at the United States Consulate, Lagos, Nick Swanson, who spoke on leveraging youths and community stakeholders in building crime-free and safer communities.
Also, Founder/Executive Director, International Centre for Leadership Development, Nigeria, Felix Iziomoh, addressed the youth on goal mapping in leadership development and crime prevention, while Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Kehinde Ayeni, spoke on the role of leadership in the fight against crime.
