KOGI State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has said sustainable security requires more than guns and ammunition, stressing the need for education, employment, technology and youth empowerment to address the root causes of insecurity.
Ododo stated this on Thursday in Lokoja while delivering the keynote address at the Kogi Youth Security Summit 2026, themed, “Building a Secure Kogi Together: Empowering Youth as the First Line of Peace and Community Security.”
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The governor said his administration remained committed to tackling insecurity by creating opportunities for young people through free and compulsory education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, technology, responsible mining and infrastructure development.
“Development is security because development gives people something valuable to protect,” he said.
Ododo highlighted the role of technology in strengthening community security, commending engineering students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) for their innovations in drone technology.
He urged young people to embrace digital skills and apply technology to support security efforts, while calling on them to shun cultism, drug abuse, political thuggery and other criminal activities.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and security agencies for their efforts to address insecurity.
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He urged residents to provide credible intelligence to security agencies and avoid spreading misinformation, hate speech and unverified reports on social media.
“Reporting danger is not betrayal. It is a responsibility. It is patriotism. It is love for your community,” Ododo said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Aridaojo Monday Anyebe, announced plans to establish Youth Peace Ambassadors across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Anyebe said the initiative would strengthen collaboration between young people and security agencies, while promoting sports as a tool for peace and unity.
Similarly, the keynote speaker, Chief Yusuf Haruna Abiona, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hay Bravo Security Limited, called for stronger community-security partnerships, effective early-warning systems and sustained youth empowerment.
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The summit attracted government officials, security agencies, traditional rulers, youth leaders and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening collaboration and improving security across Kogi State.
Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating an environment where young people could access education, meaningful employment, innovation and opportunities for productive engagement.
