Kogi Youth Security: Ododo Backs Jobs, Education, Tech »

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has said sustainable security depends on education, employment, technology and youth empowerment, stressing that tackling insecurity requires addressing its root causes beyond the use of guns and ammunition.

Ododo made the declaration on Thursday in Lokoja while delivering the keynote address at the Kogi Youth Security Summit 2026, themed “Building a Secure Kogi Together: Empowering Youth as the First Line of Peace and Community Security.”

The governor said his administration was committed to creating opportunities for young people through free and compulsory education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, technology, responsible mining and infrastructure development.

“Development is security because development gives people something valuable to protect,” Ododo declared.

He emphasised the role of technology in strengthening community security, commending engineering students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) for their innovations in drone technology.

The governor urged young people to acquire digital skills and deploy technology to support security efforts, while encouraging them to reject cultism, drug abuse, political thuggery and other criminal activities.

Ododo also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and security agencies for their efforts to tackle insecurity.

He called on residents to support security agencies by providing credible intelligence and warned against spreading misinformation, hate speech and unverified reports on social media.

“Reporting danger is not betrayal. It is a responsibility. It is patriotism. It is love for your community,” he stated.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, announced plans to establish Youth Peace Ambassadors across Kogi State’s 21 local government areas.

Anyebe said the initiative would strengthen collaboration between young people and security agencies, while promoting sports as a tool for peace and unity.

The keynote speaker, Chief Yusuf Haruna Abiona, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hay Bravo Security Limited, also advocated stronger partnerships between communities and security agencies.

Abiona called for the development of early-warning systems and sustained youth empowerment as part of efforts to prevent insecurity and strengthen community-level responses to emerging threats.

The summit brought together government officials, security agencies, traditional rulers, youth leaders and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving security and promoting cooperation across Kogi State.

Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a state where young people have access to education, meaningful employment, innovation and opportunities to contribute productively to society.

The governor’s address placed youth inclusion and socioeconomic development at the centre of the state’s security strategy, highlighting the role of communities, government institutions and security agencies in building lasting peace.