Kogi state government on Tuesday warned parents in the state to caution their children against any forms of violence and political thuggery , saying government will not condone acts that are capable of jeopardising the peaceful coexistence of the state.
The Secretary to Kogi State Government (SSG) Dr Folashade Arike Ayoade gave the warning during the official launching and unveiling of second phase of System and Structure Strengthening Approach Against Radicalization to Violence Extremism (SARVE) project of Actionaid Nigeria and PIBCID in Kogi state .
The SSG urged parents not to allow their children to be used as political thugs during the forthcoming governorship election in the state, stressing that the current administration will deal decisively with youth who engage in any forms of violence.
“We have a government that believe in peace, we do not believe on radicalization and violence. I am calling on every parent in Kogi state caution their children against political thuggery during and after election.
“We do not believe in killing people because we want to win an election , no position worth any body’s life and it is God Almighty that gives power to however he pleases , therefore we have to caution ourselves and our children against violence and anything that will impede the peace of the state” she added.
Ayoade who commended ActionAid Nigeria for the landmark achievements of the first phase of SARVE project , appealed to the organisation to do more in the second phase of the project assuring that the state government will not hesitate to collaborate in any way to make the project achieve its objectives.
The Director of Programme , ActionAid Nigeria , Tasalla Chibok while giving the overview of the SERVE II project , said the first phase of the project covered four communities (Osara and Aku /Osaranga) both in Adavi local government and (Ofuloko and Okpakpata ) in Igalamela Odolu local government areas of Kogi state.
She noted that the programme was carried out among youths and women with the main objective of preventing violence extremism in the communities, assuring that in the same vein ActionAid Nigeria will further extend the intervention to four more local government areas in Kogi state and six local governments in Nasarawa state.
She added that the aim of the programme was to build bridge and create alternatives to violence extremism through youth and women economic empowerment and engagement, noting that the SERVE phase II will strengthen resilience against violence extremism in Kogi state and Nasarawa state.
The Deputy Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Ahmed said the best way to curb violence extremism in any society is to tackle poverty through the creation of jobs to wipe away idleness.
He commended ActionAid Nigeria and Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) for engaging youth and women in rural areas as well as their effort that led to the actualization of Kogi Youth Bill that has been passed into law.
