Economic Hardships Driving Nigerian Youths into Crime, Banditry, Says Group

Olawale Ajimotokan

The Nigerian Emerging Leaders Forum (NELF) has said that the current crippling economic challenges in the country are forcing Nigerian youths into internet fraud, armed robbery, illegal migration for sex work, banditry and terrorism, cultism, political thuggery, oil bunkering, human rituals and organ trafficking.

The National Publicity Secretary of NELF, Ms. Maryam Ahman, stated this yesterday in Abuja at an inaugural briefing to mark the launch of the forum.

Ahman said that these vices were informed by the neglect of the youth by successive administrations that have reduced the budget on youth welfare, employment, education and sports.

She noted that this development has great implications on national development and has further magnified the clear and present danger which an unattended section the population has fallen into.

She added that it was one of the reasons why NELF was coming on board to serve as a nexus between policy makers and young people, adding that the indices in the country pointed to a tide against young people.

Ahmad stated that the malaise is a symptom of a society that has forsaken its youth from the family unit to schools and the society at large, stressing that NELF, which is an amalgam of young Nigerians with strong conviction of systemic processes as a catalyst for change. is of the opinion that these issues should be placed at the top burner of governance and policy formulation.

She urged all young people in the country and diaspora to eschew bitterness, political differences, gender and ethno-religious differences, class biases and other fault lines that are either man made or ordained, in order to forge ahead with the prevalent global mood of togetherness and progression.

The National Convener of NELF, Mr. Alkasim Mohammed Zangina, said that the Nigerian youth must be galvanised to be part of the economic and political development of the country.

Zangina said that the forum intended to set up town hall meetings and conferences to enlighten the public on the security challenges and other malaise in the country.