RCE Minna rolls out innitiative to end youth restiveness in Minna metropolis

By Abubakar Hassan

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 flash point areas in Minna known for thuggery activities.
This the crnter said is part of efforts to enhance peaceful coexistence among youths in Minna, the Niger state capital and its environs.
In his welcome address during the interactive session on Saturday, at the RCE Minna Resource Centre in Minna, Niger State, the coordinator of RCE Minna, Dr. Abdul Hussaini said the issue of ‘Yan Daba’ (Thuggery) in Minna metropolis calls for concern because no meaningful progress can take place in a society where youths restiveness is the order of the day, resulting to lost of lives and properties.

He noted that despite the efforts of the state government and security formations in the state to curb the menace through arrests and other approaches the problem had continued to persist
Hussaini added that from their findings over five people had so far lost their lives within Limawa, Maitumbi and Unguwan Daji areas with several pockets of thuggery and unrest in some other parts of Minna.

Hussaini revealed that it was in realization of this challenge that RCE Minna conceived the idea of TSIRA which literally mean ‘survival’ in 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, adding 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 that the overall objectives of the TSIRA Initiative was to foster peaceful coexistence within communities in Minna, curb youth restiveness through social cohesion, life skills training and sustainable empowerment.

Some of the speakers at the interactive session, Mall. Nurudeen Lemu, Mall. Yabagi Alfa, Dr. Francis Gana and the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Youths, Dr Wasa commended RCE Minna for the 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 youths restiveness in Minna, promising 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 was a ray of hope that the aim will be achieved, adding that he was particularly happy that they have agreed to turn a new live.

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 experience and level of involvement in the act complained 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 leave because they were not happy with what they were doing because they have not gained anything from engaging in the act rather they were losing peace of mind.

“I am happy with the this initiative. Honestly this is the first time I am being invited to a discussion about what we are doing. Nobody has ever talk to us to stop, all they do is to initiate our arrest and as it is now we are not even afraid of being arrested. I am a major force in thuggery activities in Minna, I coordinate attack even while in detention. Like 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 alias Boka.

Also, 20 years old Hamisu Bala alias Daddin Maria of Limawa area said he was tired of the whole thing because his mother was not happy with his engagement in thuggery activity. 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 depend on me. If not for anything, for my mother I will turn a new live of life 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 discussion virtually and would not want his name mentioned promised to engage the 10 youths in any skills of their choice for three months, with a monthly stipend of N10,000 each and a starter pack at the end of their training.