16/06/2025
*STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL OF NIGERIA (NYCN)*
*ON THE RECENT INSECURITY INCIDENT IN NIGERIA*
_“Beyond Outrage: A Youth-Driven Call to Secure Our Nation”_
Fellow Nigerians,
With heavy hearts and burning consciences, we condemn in the strongest terms the callous, senseless, and utterly inhumane killings that occurred just days ago in Benue State, where no fewer than 200 innocent Nigerians—men, women, and children—were butchered in cold blood in the Yelewata community of Guma Local Government Area. This is not just an attack on a village; it is an attack on our shared humanity, on our fragile peace, and on the future of our country.
We also recall, with deep sorrow, the consistent bloodshed in Plateau State over the past months and years, which has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands. These incidents, whether driven by ethnic bigotry, land disputes, terrorism, or criminal opportunism, must never be normalized. No Nigerian should go to bed fearing for their lives. No family should be forced to bury loved ones for simply being at home, at work, or on their farm.
We must say it loudly and clearly: *enough is enough*.
While the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rightly places the primary responsibility of protecting lives and property on the government, the realities of our time demand that *citizens—especially young people—rise beyond outrage to action*. This is not the time for passive condemnation or distant sympathies. It is time to take the bull by the horns.
We call on every Nigerian youth—from the bustling cities to the remotest villages—to embrace our collective responsibility in securing our homeland. We are 70% of the population. That is not just a statistic—it is a force. A force that must now be channeled into *collaborative intelligence gathering*, *community vigilance*, and *a serious active partnership with all our security agencies*.
Security is not magic. It is intelligence, trust, and coord
