A coalition of youth and civil society organisations has called for stronger collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Defence in efforts to promote peace, unity and security across Northern Nigeria.
The group, operating under the Forum for Youth Development, Unity & Peace Initiative (FYDUPI), made the call during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Defence, Christopher Gwabin Musa, in Abuja.
The delegation, which included members of the Arewa Youth Assembly for Good Leadership, ethnic nationality groups from Northern Nigeria, Christian Youth Alliance and other civil society partners, was led by its Chairman, Comrade Abdul Danbature.
The group said the visit was aimed at presenting a proposal focused on strengthening national security through coordinated youth and community engagement.
According to the delegation, key areas of focus include promoting peaceful coexistence among religious and ethnic groups, strengthening grassroots peacebuilding, supporting community-based intelligence sharing with security agencies, combating drug abuse among youths and enhancing youth empowerment initiatives.
Others include promoting public awareness of government and military achievements as well as encouraging productive youth engagement across communities.
The group said the Minister expressed readiness to work with them in advancing national peace and security efforts.
“He emphasized the importance of peace, unity, and continuous advocacy for social cohesion,” the statement said, adding that the Minister also stressed the need to address misinformation and ignorance through education and sustained engagement.
The delegation further noted that the Minister encouraged the use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as tools for promoting positive values and public enlightenment.
In recognition of the initiative, the Minister reportedly presented the delegation with an award, describing the engagement as a step toward stronger collaboration in support of national security objectives.
FYDUPI described the meeting as productive and reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Defence Ministry and other stakeholders to promote peace, unity and stability across the country.
The group said it would continue to pursue community-driven solutions aimed at addressing insecurity and strengthening social cohesion in Northern Nigeria and beyond.
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