Students, NYSC members and youth groups rally across Enugu, pledge stronger grassroots mobilisation against crime and violent extremism.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 5, 2026.
Youths and residents of Enugu State have taken a strong public stand against terrorism, cultism, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime, marching through parts of the state capital and declaring their determination to support ongoing security efforts.
The mobilisation, which took place on Friday, brought together students, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and other youth groups who marched through major streets of Enugu before converging at the Government House, where they were received by Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
The participants carried banners and placards expressing opposition to terrorism, criminality and violent extremism, while calling on young people across the state to reject criminal associations and become active partners in building a safer Enugu.
Addressing the youths, Governor Mbah described the initiative as significant, noting that security remains one of the critical foundations of his administration’s development agenda.
The governor urged the youths to sustain the campaign across the state, stressing that greater citizen participation in the fight against crime could help reduce criminality and create a safer environment for economic activities, investment and job creation.
Mbah further linked the security campaign to the administration’s broader strategy of combining security operations with non-kinetic interventions, including employment opportunities, education and digital-skills development.
The Deputy Rector of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Dr Emeka Ejim, who was among the leaders of the mobilisation, described the movement as a broad-based coalition of young people united against terrorism, cultism and violent crime.
The Enugu State leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also pledged to mobilise millions of young people in support of the anti-crime campaign.
The development comes as Enugu continues to strengthen its technology-driven security architecture. The state has invested in a Command and Control Centre, AI-enabled surveillance infrastructure, a Distress Response Squad and a Centre for DNA Forensics and Criminal Investigation. The Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, had earlier commended the sophistication of the state’s Command and Control Centre.
The youth mobilisation also comes against the backdrop of intensified security operations in the state, including recent arrests of suspected members of kidnapping networks and ongoing efforts by security agencies to dismantle criminal groups operating across Enugu and neighbouring states.
For many participants, the message from the streets was clear: the fight against insecurity cannot be left exclusively to security agencies. Communities, students, young professionals and other citizens must also play a role by rejecting criminality, supporting lawful security initiatives and providing useful information to the appropriate authorities.
As Enugu enters another critical phase of its development, the growing involvement of young people in security advocacy could become an important component of efforts to consolidate peace, protect communities and create an environment conducive to economic growth.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform, will continue to report relevant developments on security, governance and other issues affecting Ndi Enugu.