By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Suleiman Abba, has called on governments and other stakeholders to prioritise digital skills training and meaningful employment opportunities for Nigerian youths as a way of reducing youth involvement in criminal activities.
Abba made the call while fielding questions from journalists in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, shortly after attending a public lecture organised as part of activities marking the 78th birthday of former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
He said empowering youths with relevant skills and creating opportunities for them to become economically productive would help prevent them from being attracted to criminal activities.
According to him, the most important issue confronting Nigerian youths is how to become self-reliant by developing the capacity to think independently, set goals and work towards achieving them.
“You can only stand on your feet if you think for yourself. The youth should learn to think for themselves and protect that thinking jealously.
“You must not rely on somebody to think for you because that person may have different goals. You must set out goals and achieve them through discipline and focus,” he said.
The former police boss urged youths not to become complacent after achieving their objectives, but to continuously set higher goals and strive for greater accomplishments.
He also advised them to recognise the rapidly changing nature of the world and acquire the knowledge and skills required to adapt to emerging opportunities, particularly in the digital economy.
Abba said the responsibility of guiding and mentoring young people also rested on leaders and elders, stressing the need for them to provide proper direction, training and mentorship.
Speaking on his personal contribution to youth development after retirement from the police, the former IGP said he ventured into digital skills training because of his understanding of the importance of technology to the future of young Nigerians.
He disclosed that he established computer training centres in partnership with Aptech, an Indian-owned global computer education company, as part of his efforts to equip young people with relevant digital skills.
“I started with one centre. Now I have five — two in Lagos, two in Abuja and one in Kano.
“Why did I do that? I know it is important to train the youth and I have a greater understanding of the value of such training,” Abba said.
He stressed that sustained investment in skills development, employment and youth empowerment remained critical to preparing young Nigerians for productive lives and reducing the conditions that could expose them to criminality.
