Youths and students from various tertiary institutions in Borno State on Sunday staged a peaceful protest against the persistent insecurity in North-Eastern Nigeria, calling on residents to support the federal government and security agencies in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes.

The campaign, tagged #UniteAgainstTerror, brought together youth organisations and student groups from across the state to the awareness march in Maiduguri, the state capital, with participants carrying placards bearing messages of peace, unity and resistance to terrorism.

Addressing the protesters, the leader of the Youth and Students Forum in Borno State, Suleiman Muhammed, commended the federal government and security agencies for the successful rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State.

He urged the authorities to intensify efforts to also secure the release of all persons still in captivity in Borno and other parts of the country. Muhammed also cautioned against yielding to terrorists’ demands for ransom, warning that such payments could embolden criminal groups and worsen the nation’s security challenges.

According to him, “this campaign is a call on Nigerians, especially young people, to unite with one voice against terrorism and criminality.

“Considering what happened in Oyo State, the government deserves commendation for refusing to bow to the demands of the kidnappers. Our security agencies also performed creditably by carrying out the rescue operation.

“We believe the government can replicate the same success in Borno State and other parts of the country. Every region deserves equal attention in the fight against insecurity.”

Consequently, Muhammed appealed for more strategic interventions to end insurgency through youth empowerment, job creation and improved economic opportunities, adding that “reducing unemployment will also help reduce crime.”

The youth also stressed the need for stronger political commitment to tackling insecurity through sustained investment in security infrastructure, improved welfare for security personnel, and better intelligence gathering.

One of the protesters, Khadijat Abdullahi, said lasting peace would be achieved if the government addressed both the security and socio-economic factors driving criminality, including sustained equipping of the troops with modern tools, and improving their welfare.

Abdullahi further urged the government to “also address the root causes of crime, especially poverty and unemployment,” adding that “young people need meaningful opportunities to earn a living.”