Youth Council Condemns Benue Killings, Calls for National Action on Insecurity

By Iyojo Ameh

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has strongly condemned the recent wave of violence in Benue State, where over 200 people were reported killed in the Yelewata community of Guma Local Government Area. In a powerful statement released on Monday, the council described the attack as a “brutal assault on our shared humanity” and issued a national call for collective youth-led security efforts.

The NYCN President, Comrade Solomon Adodo, who signed the statement, lamented the growing spate of insecurity across the country, particularly the recurring killings in Benue and Plateau States. He said the bloodshed must no longer be met with silence or passive outrage, stressing that Nigerian youths must rise and actively engage in securing their communities.

“This is not just an attack on a village,” Adodo stated, “it is an attack on our fragile peace, and on the future of our country.”

The council called for the establishment of youth peace and security watch committees in every local government area and ward across the country. It urged young Nigerians to actively partner with security agencies through community intelligence sharing, vigilance, and non-partisan collaboration.

“Security is not magic. It is intelligence, trust, and coordinated action. We cannot afford to be bystanders,” Adodo said, emphasizing that the youth—who constitute over 70% of Nigeria’s population—must take ownership of grassroots safety and peacebuilding efforts.

In a pointed message to security operatives, the council commended ongoing efforts but urged deeper engagement with local communities to build trust and encourage proactive reporting of suspicious activities.

The NYCN also called on President Bola Tinubu to intensify the deployment of technology-driven surveillance systems and expedite the implementation of community policing frameworks to empower local responses to insecurity.

To families mourning in Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna, and other affected states, the council extended its condolences and pledged that Nigerian youth would not remain silent in the face of bloodshed.

In a stern warning to the perpetrators and enablers of violence, the statement declared: “Your days of wrecking Nigeria under ethnic, religious, or political covers are numbered. Be ready—not just for the wrath of God, but for the full resistance of a rejuvenated, re-energized youth generation.”

The NYCN called for national unity, responsible use of social media, and a rejection of hate speech or ethnic profiling, reaffirming that “all lives matter” and that “every Nigerian life must be protected.”