Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (rtd.), has  appealed to Nigerian youths to eschew hate speech, religious intolerance, ethnic prejudice, violence and promote dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful engagement.

He stated that young people constitute a significant proportion of the country’s population and therefore have a critical role to play in building a peaceful, secure and prosperous Nigeria.

Speaking at the National Christian Youth Security Summit and Thanksgiving, organised by the National Youth Wing Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) in Abuja, Musa stressed the need for youths to shun  drug abuse, extremism and criminality, warning that their vulnerability to manipulation poses a major threat to the nation’s security.

Musa warned that young people recruited into criminality, violent extremism, cybercrime, drug abuse, ethnic hatred, religious intolerance and political violence could inflict devastating consequences on the country.

He emphasized the need to address the underlying conditions that enable insecurity, including unemployment, poverty and radicalization, misinformation, social exclusion and the exploitation of vulnerable young people by criminal and extremist elements.

The minister who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security and Intelligence to the Minister of Defence, Musa Likita,
Expressed the federal government’s committment to strengthening Nigeria’s security, architecture and creating the conditions necessary for citizens to live, work and pursue their legitimate aspirations in safety.
He said, “The Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain resolute in the discharge of their constitutional responsibility to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our nation and protect our people. However, sustained security cannot be achieved through military action alone. It is a shared national obligation that requires partnership between government institutions, communities, religious organizations, traditional institutions, civil society, and most importantly, our youth”.

Musa observed that youth empowerment, education, skill development and meaningful participation in nation building must remain central to our national security strategy.

He urged Christians youths to imbibe the values of peace, love, compassion, forgiveness, service and respect for human dignity provide a strong foundation for responsible citizenship. “These values must translate into practical actions that promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, community resilience and national unity”.

The minister noted that the security summit was timely and strategic gathering at a period when the security and stability of our nation require the collective commitment, vigilance and responsible participation of every Nigerian, particularly our young ones.

According to him, the theme of the summit “Empowered for Leadership, Service and Nation Building”, was apt  considering that Nigeria needs young citizens who were not merely observers but courageous, responsible and patriotic participants in the affairs of the country.

He said national security should not be seen as the exclusive responsibility of the military, police and other security agencies, insisting that every citizen had a role to play in protecting the country.

“The armed forces can defend our territorial integrity. The police and other security agencies can enforce the law. Intelligence institutions can gather and analyse information. But no security architecture can succeed if citizens refuse to play their part,” he said.

The Defence Minister identified Nigerian youths as a strategic component of the nation’s security architecture, noting that the country’s future would be determined by the values, choices and actions of its younger generation.

He said youths possessed enormous energy, creativity, technological ability, entrepreneurial potential and intellectual capacity, stressing that they should not be regarded merely as “leaders of tomorrow” but as partners in leadership today.

The minister also warned against the deliberate use of drugs and financial inducements to recruit young Nigerians into violent activities.

He recounted an experience in which young people were allegedly supplied with substances, including Indian hemp and other drugs, alongside financial incentives, to influence their participation in activities.

He said such tactics were designed to deprive young people of their ability to think clearly and make independent decisions.

Musa urged youths to resist such manipulation, stressing that temporary financial rewards should not be allowed to destroy their future or turn them into instruments of violence.

He also told the youths not to allow themselves to be used to perpetrate violence, saying they could not make meaningful progress or deploy their creativity and innovative abilities if they embraced destructive activities.

Musa also noted that the concept of national security had evolved beyond military strength and weapons to include economic, food, energy, cyber, environmental, community and human security.

The minister urged youths to reject ethnic and religious manipulation, stressing that political, religious and ethnic differences should not be allowed to turn Nigerians against one another.

On technology, Musa encouraged young Nigerians to acquire skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, engineering, software development, robotics and other emerging fields.

In his remarks, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh said that the security summit is very important especially as the country  is  preparing for 2027 general  elections .

He said, “We are praying that this programme will not just end speeches or resolutions but to come out with something tangible that the youth will take it home and to ensure that they abide by it to for them to allow this election to be peaceful”.

Okoh who was represented by the Secretary of CAN,  North Central Zone,  Rev Simon Dolly
noted the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing his best to address the security problem in the country adding that religious leaders especially the Christian youths should support him  to ensure that the problem is nipped in the bud.

Also speaking, the National Chairman Youth Wing, Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Ademola Daniel Arowolo expressed the determination of Nigerian youths to  promoting peace, unity, justice, security, and sustainable national development.

Arowolo noted that the summit which had in attendance , thousands of young people from every region of the country, demonstrates their shared determination to build bridges of understanding, strengthen social cohesion, and advance a future founded on mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

He said, “Today marks a defining moment in the history of youth engagement, faith-based leadership, national security advocacy, and interfaith collaboration in Nigeria. This security Summit 2026, thanksgiving Service, and the historic Signing of the National Christian-Muslim Youth Peace Accord, under the theme: “Empowered for Leadership, Service and Nation Building” , witness the unveiling of key national initiatives, including (2026-2031), and the the launch of the National Youth Development Centre, presentation of the YOWICAN Five-Year Strategic Blueprint (2026 landmark signing of the National Christian-Muslim Youth Peace Accord, a Youth-led commitment to fostering interfaith understanding, confronting extremism, rejecting violence and hate speech, and promoting peaceful coexistence throughout Nigeria”.

Arowolo noted that the Peace Accord represents signed by Christian and Muslim Youths is a covenant of hope, a declaration of unity, and a collective pledge by Christian and Muslim youths to work together in advancing peace, justice, dialogue, tolerance, and national progress adding that it will be replicate across the subnational including wards in Nigeria.

He stated tthat the future of the country cannot be secured through division, hostility, or intolerance but can only be built through collaboration,  mutual respect, responsible leadership, and a commitment to the common good.

On her part, wife of the President, Senator Okuremi Tinubu urged the youths not to allow themselves to be used as sacrificial lambs, and they should not be used as political thugs during the forthcoming general elections.

The First  Lady  who was represented by the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NPC), implored the youths to be part of the political process and remain peaceful throughout the electioneering campaign, during and after the elections.

In his remarks, the former National Youth President of CAN, Engr Daniel David Katsai
urged Christian youths to serve not only as ambassadors of  peace, but ambassadors of stable nation Nigeria wherever they find themselves .
Katsai observed that the security problem in the country persist because many Nigerians  conceal information about security breaches in their communities from the relevant security agencies.

 He said, “The youth to do differently to achieve a good result is to work with relevant security agencies to ensure they do the needful at their own level because security is everybody’s business.