In a resounding declaration that redefines the battle against crime, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has asserted that sustainable security across the state demands far more than hardware, guns, and ammunition.
Delivering a high-impact keynote address at the Kogi Youth Security Summit 2026 in Lokoja on Thursday, the Governor unveiled a comprehensive peace building philosophy anchored on education, employment, technological innovation, youth empowerment, and deep-rooted social inclusion.
Addressing a high-powered gathering at the summit themed “Building a Secure Kogi Together: Empowering Youth as the First Line of Peace and Community Security,” Governor Ododo underscored his administration’s unwavering resolve to dismantle the socioeconomic drivers of crime.
He insisted that lasting stability can only be achieved by offering young citizens viable pathways to success through free and compulsory education, mechanized agriculture, entrepreneurship, technology, responsible mining practices, and aggressive infrastructure expansion.
“Development is security because development gives people something valuable to protect,” Governor Ododo declared, linking economic progress directly to community vigilance.
Emphasizing the transformative role of modern technology in intelligence gathering and community defense, the Governor singled out engineering students from the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) for praise over their breakthroughs in drone technology, challenging Kogi youths to harness digital skills and innovation to safeguard their domains.
While commending the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and national security formations for their relentless anti-crime operations, Ododo charged young people across the state to turn their backs on cultism, drug abuse, political thuggery, and violent crime.
He further implored citizens to act as active intelligence assets by aiding security agencies with verifiable information while eschewing fake news, hate speech, and unverified social media chatter, stressing that reporting danger is not betrayal, but a profound duty, an act of patriotism, and true love for one’s community.
Outlining the operational roadmap of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the Commissioner, Hon. Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, earlier revealed strategic plans to deploy Youth Peace Ambassadors across all 21 Local Government Areas, institutionalize youth-security collaboration, and leverage sports as an instrument for social cohesion.
Adding a private sector perspective, the keynote speaker, Chief Yusuf Haruna Abiona, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hay Bravo Security Limited, called for robust community-policing synergies, real-time early-warning networks, and continuous economic empowerment to insulate youths from criminal temptation.
The summit convened top government functionaries, service commanders, traditional rulers, community leaders, and youth delegates, culminating in a unified pledge to secure the state.
Rounding off his address, Governor Ododo reaffirmed the state government’s unyielding commitment to nurturing a peaceful, prosperous Kogi State where every young person is equipped with quality education, productive employment, and boundless opportunities to thrive.
