Youth groups in the Dafaima Bussie Issa District have charged colleague youth groups in the Daffiama Bussie Issa District to participate and effectively contribute in all activities and engagement to end all forms of violent extremism.

The youth groups admonished people to desist from exploiting young people and supporting them in crime. The groups are of the view that when young people accept responsibilities and become ambassadors to preventing violence and extremism; their communities, district, and the upper west region will continue to enjoy peace and tranquillity.

The youth groups are of the view that micro initiatives of young people in preventing violence and extremism will foster national cohesion. The youth groups made this call in the Daffiama Bussie Issa District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) engagement with the youth groups on the prevention and containing violence extremism (PVCE) programme.
The programme had Tahiru Lukman (the Chief Executive Officer) of Ideapath Consult and Supt. M.N. James Ankan, the Nadowli/ Kaleo and Daffiama Bussie Issa District Police Commander making presentations on violent extremism and effort to build peace.

The participants also shared their experiences and participated in group work and making presentations. Group after group presentations proceeded with the issuance of a communique. The communique of the youth groups centered on signs of radicalization of young people including some keeping bad company, possession of small arms, abusing other young people, staying isolated and developing threats of aggressiveness, amongst others.

The communique further captured the significance of neighbourhood watchdog committees or community patrol, such as the prevention of robbery acts at night, the promotion of a peaceful atmosphere, helping in gathering intelligence, the promotion of co-existence and the prevention of other crimes like fighting, stealing and evasion.

The group also called for the adoption of the following strategies as local communities’ crime prevention acts; formalization of communities’ neighbourhood watchdog committee; community and police regular interface; steps in preventing young people to become radicalized; effective chieftaincy institution; and the role of religious bodies in sensitizing young people to prevent violent extremism.

To promote national cohesion; the youth groups appeal to the public to cultivate the tolerance of divergence views, respect for each other’s religion and ethnic orientation, tolerance of political parties, develop a sense of patriotism, follow due process such as the court system to demand justice and people becoming each other keeps.

Some of the youth groups present for the programmes and jointly issued the communique were Wogu youth groups, Issa youth, Muslim youth, Christian youth, hairdressers and tailors association members and leadership of other youth members.

The programme has staff of the Daffiama Bussie Issa District led by Mr. Abdul Rahaman Osman (the District Director of the NCCE). The commission’s District Director also urged young people to take responsibility in contributing to preventing all forms of extremist acts.

The programme was organized in the church of Pentecost in Issa with 53 youth group leaders actively participating.

File by
Tahiru Lukman
Email: lukmantahiru@rockemaul.com
Tel:020154057