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The Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Minna under its flagship programme, ‘The Sustainable Initiative for Responsible Adulthood’ (TSIRA) has interfaced with some youths from some flashpoint areas in the Minna metropolis and its environs known for thuggery activities.
It was gathered that this was part of the concerted efforts being made by concerned Nigerlites to put an end to the lingering youth’s restiveness and enhance peaceful co-existence among youths in Minna, the state capital and its environs,
In his opening remarks during the interactive session with the newsmen on Saturday, at the RCE Minna Resource Centre in Minna, Niger State, on the sidelines of the Programme, the Coordinator of RCE Minna, Dr Abdul Hussaini stated that the issue of ‘Yan Daba’ (Thuggery) in Minna metropolis was worrisome because no meaningful progress can take place in a society where youths restiveness is the order of the day, resulting to loss of lives and properties.
He noted that despite the efforts of the state government and security formations in the state to curb the menace of youth restiveness, through arrests and other approaches the problem had continued to persist.
He explained that from their findings over five people had so far lost their lives within the Limawa, Maitumbi and Unguwan Daji areas with several pockets of thuggery and unrest in some other parts of Minna.
Dr Abdul emphasized that it was in realization of this challenge that RCE Minna conceived the idea of TSIRA which literally means ‘survival’ in the Hausa language, which he said, “was to serve as Social Clinic through In-depth Focus Discussion (IFD) for the youths involved in thuggery activities to understand their perspectives and the psychology pushing them to carry out such unwanted act, highlighting that “10 youths were selected for the pilot scheme of the initiative from some of the flashpoint communities”.
He further recalled the good memories of how Minna used to be, saying, “it was a peaceful community, and the overall objectives of the TSIRA Initiative are to foster peaceful co-existence within communities in Minna, curb youth restiveness through social cohesion, life skills training acquisitions, and sustainable empowerment”.
Some of the speakers at the interactive session, were Mallam Nurudeen Lemu, Mallam Yabagi Alfa, Dr Francis Gana and the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Youths, Dr Jonathan Wasa commended RCE Minna for the laudable initiative and expressed optimism that the initiative will work with the way the participants opened up for the discussions.
They equally appealed to the Youths who participated in the programme to be vanguards of the TSIRA Initiative and help to bring an end to the lingering youth’s restiveness in Minna, assuring the youths to also assist them to have a better life.
The Chairman of RCE Minna board of research, Prof. G.N Nsofor said the responses gotten from the participants were a ray of hope that the aim will be achieved, stressing that he was particularly happy that they have agreed to turn a new life.
He also said RCE Minna will extend the scope of the programme by collaborating with some organizations of likes mind, and also recruit more youths involved in the unwanted act and engage them meaningfully to serve as vanguards of ending youth restiveness in Minna and its environs.
Some of the youths who shared their experiences and level of involvement in the illegal acts pointed out that unemployment, lack of proper mentorship, as well as some politicians contributed greatly to the issue of youth restiveness in Minna.
They promised to embrace the TSIRA Initiative and turn a new leaf because they were not happy with what they were doing because they have not gained anything positive from engaging in the illegal acts, emphasising that rather they were losing peace of mind.
“I am happy with this initiative. Honestly, this is the first time I am being invited to a discussion about what we are doing. Nobody had ever talked to us to stop it, instead, all they did was initiate our arrest.
“But as it is now, we are not even afraid of being arrested. I am a major force in thuggery activities in Minna, I coordinated attacks, even while in detention.
“As I said earlier, this is the first time I am invited for discussion over this and I promise I will turn a new leaf because even our parents are not happy with what we are doing,” said Baballe Garba( a.k.a Boka).
Also, 20- year old, Hamisu Bala (a.k.a lDaddin Maria) of the Limawa area said he was tired of the whole thing because his mother was not happy with his engagement in thuggery activities.
He added, “I have lost two of my brothers to this youth restiveness, my elder brother and my younger brother. My mother is not happy with me engaging in this activity and I don’t want anything to happen to her because she depends on me”.
Accordingly, he said, “If not for anything, but for my mother, I will turn a new leaf because I want to see her happy. I want to thank you people for this opportunity to be a better person. I will like to go back to School if I can get a sponsor.”
A member of the RCE Minna who joined the discussions virtually and would not want his name in prints promised to engage the 10 youths in any skill of their choice for three months, with a monthly stipend of N10,000 each and a starter pack at the end of their training programme.
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