The Akwa Ibom State government has unveiled a new grassroots security and community engagement initiative, integrating 2,272 Village Youth Presidents into the security architecture to strengthen intelligence gathering and deepen youth participation in governance.
Speaking at the strategic engagement meeting with the youth leaders drawn from all villages in the state, the governor described the gathering as a critical step towards building a safer Akwa Ibom.
According to the governor, security remains a collective responsibility, and he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property through community-based approaches.
“The villages remain the first line of defence in any society. People know one another in their communities, and they can easily identify strange movements and suspicious activities.That is why we are integrating Village Youth Presidents into our security architecture,” the Governor stated.
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He said that the youth leaders will serve as vital links between communities, traditional institutions, and security agencies to facilitate intelligence flow at the grassroots.
“If you think becoming a Village Youth President will shield you from accountability while engaging in criminal acts, then you are mistaken. This responsibility demands integrity, vigilance, and commitment to the protection of your people,” Eno said.
The Governor directed all Local Government Chairmen to appoint Security Supervisors in their councils where such appointments have not been made.
The supervisors will coordinate security activities and serve as liaison officers between Village Youth Presidents, Community Watch groups, and security agencies.
Governor Eno also directed security agencies to develop comprehensive training programmes for the youth leaders and integrate them into the state’s community security framework. He announced plans to expand the state’s Quick Response Force to cover all ten federal constituencies for faster emergency response.
He charged the Village Youth Presidents to discharge their duties with patriotism and honesty and to work closely with Village Heads, Clan Heads, Paramount Rulers, Local Government Chairmen and security agencies. He also urged them to mobilise residents for civic participation, including the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
The engagement underscored the government’s commitment to leveraging grassroots structures to promote security, community ownership, youth empowerment and sustainable development under the ARISE Agenda.
The meeting ended with renewed commitments from the Village Youth Presidents to support government efforts in maintaining peace and strengthening grassroots intelligence gathering.
