In continuation of its nationwide campaign to promote learning in schools and fight drug abuse and peddling, an international touring bikers group, Jeje Riders Nigeria, recently donated an E-Library to Government Secondary School, Kyan Rikko, Jos in Plateau State.

The commissioning of the ICT Center and E-Library was followed by an antidrug and peddling campaign by the group in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Speaking at the event, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, represented by the commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Cletus Shurkuk, commended JeJe Riders Nigeria for the laudable initiative, describing it as a remarkable demonstration of corporate social responsibility. He emphasised the Plateau State Government’s commitment to ICT-driven development, citing the recent launch of the Plateau State Agro Innovation Market-Space and the Smart Education Initiative, with Science School Kuru, as the pilot center.

The governor noted that JeJe Riders Nigeria’s intervention aligns with the government’s vision of leveraging technology to drive education and youth empowerment.

He encouraged other organisations to emulate such efforts in fostering digital literacy and combating social vices among students.

In his remarks, the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Jeje Riders Nigeria, Ibrahim Tizhe, said Jeje Riders have been at the forefront of promoting education across schools in the country as well as exposing the dangers of drug abuse and peddling on students’ education.

Tizhe stated that different biking associations and clubs are involved in community support and development activities across the country.

He said Jeje Riders and the entire biking community have delivered community development services to several communities and schools across the country in the last few years.

“If you go round the country, you will see projects executed by bikers and these funds come from their pockets with some sponsors giving them support. For example, the Mentalic Bull Riders from Lagos are currently renovating libraries across various schools in Lagos.

“For us in Jeje Riders and the entire biking community, we have delivered community development service across the country. We gave out food stuffs to households during the flood disaster of 2021 in Jigawa State, gave heart saving equipment to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna and the 44 Army Reference Hospital also in Kaduna, ICT centers and E-Library in Gombe, Jigawa and Adamawa States as well integrated water project in Zamfara State to mention but a few,” Tizhe stated.

He further said that the group’s focus is youth development, which is why it partnered with the Plateau State Government to site the ICT Center and E-Library in Jos.

On the involvement of the NDLEA in its antidrug campaign in schools, Tizhe said the campaign was signed off by the NDLEA under the leadership of the chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the entire NDLEA team at their headquarters in Abuja.

“Our youth development activities are actually in two fronts-one is supporting students with modern learning aids, like the ICT Center and E-library we are commissioning today.

“This is to develop the skills of our students and make them compete with their counterparts in the world. The world is going digital, and everything today is about ICT and skills.

“This ICT Center is to enhance their learning skills, help the teachers to pass knowledge correctly about ICT and information technology.

“The second front is the antidrug workshop; we are pushing students to develop the area of education, but we are also pulling them back from the negative vices of drug abuse and peddling.

“If our people are involved in drugs, their future development is hindered, stalled or completely destroyed. We don’t want that to happen. We want a great Nigeria for all of us. Furthermore, we want them to also fulfil their potential,” Tizhe said.

He urged the students to make the best use of the infrastructure provided them and apply the knowledge from the antidrug workshop, while urging teachers of the school to give the students the maximum support to enhance their education and moral development.

The Plateau State NDLEA Commander, Anthony Gotar, while speaking at the event, assured that the NDLEA remains committed to protecting schools and communities from the scourge of drugs.

He said the agency will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that those engaged in drug trafficking, especially those target young people, are brought to justice.

The principal of Government Secondary School, Kyan Rikkos, Mrs Rahila Dafyak, expressed appreciation to Jeje Riders Nigeria and the biking community for holding the student’s anti-drug workshop in the school and especially, for the multimillion naira ICT Infrastructure donated to the school.

She also solicited the help of the state government to erect a perimeter fence as well as an entrance gate to the school to enhance the security of the learning infrastructure that has just been commissioned.

Facilitators at the Drug Abuse Campaign were drawn from the NDLEA and professionals from the Nigerian Biking Community, while sponsors of the Students Anti-Drug Abuse campaign include Flour Mills of Nigeria (Golden Penny); Ar-Rahim Synergy; G-Connect Lounge; S.A. Golden; Dr Adedayo Ibrahim; Alhaji Ameenu Mohammed Isa and Mrs Maureen Augustine.

Also present at the event were traditional leaders and other principals and teachers.

Over 280 students participated in the exercise, drawn from across 10 secondary schools in Jos.