Lagos Law Enforcement and Young Residents Strengthen Ties to Boost Neighborhood Security

The Lagos State Police Command, the Lagos State Government, and youth leaders have emphasized the need for a stronger partnership between security agencies and young people to foster peaceful coexistence, respect for human rights, and community safety, while also urging youths to reject cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse, and other criminal activities.

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This call to action was made on Friday at the Police-Youth Engagement Programme, which was held in Badagry with the theme "Bridging the Gap: Youth-Police Engagement for Community Safety and Social Reform."

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ACP Adeleke Smith, the Area Commander of the Badagry Area Command, spoke on behalf of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, and described the engagement as timely, given the prevailing security challenges and the forthcoming general elections.

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Smith commended the Lagos State Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement and the Bureau of the Public Defender for organizing the programme, stating that it would further strengthen the relationship between the police and young people.

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According to Smith, the primary purpose of law enforcement is the protection of lives and property, but this cannot be achieved alone, and the police must partner with the public, with youths being an important segment.

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Smith urged youths to support community policing by providing credible intelligence to security agencies, emphasizing that effective crime prevention depends on cooperation between the police and residents.

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He reminded participants of the security slogan "See something, say something," and added that timely information would assist the police in tackling insecurity.

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The police chief also appealed to young people to shun cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse, and other social vices, describing the increasing involvement of youths in organised crime as a serious concern.

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Smith encouraged them to embrace hard work, patriotism, and the Lagos State Government's skills acquisition programmes, saying that these initiatives would improve their economic prospects and reduce criminality.

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Earlier, the Director of the Lagos State Bureau of the Public Defender, Mrs Olubunmi Adesomoju, said the programme was conceived to rebuild trust between the police and youths through dialogue and greater understanding of citizens' rights.

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She noted that mistrust and negative experiences had strained relations between both groups over the years, making sustained engagement necessary, and added that every arrested person has the constitutional right to remain silent, consult a lawyer before making a statement, and be treated with dignity throughout criminal investigations.

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Adesomoju reminded police officers that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law requires confessional statements to be obtained in the presence of legal representation and recorded electronically, warning that failure to comply with these provisions could render confessional statements inadmissible in court and weaken criminal prosecutions.

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Also speaking, the Director of Citizens' Rights at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr Emmanuel Akande, urged both protesters and security agencies to uphold the rule of law during public demonstrations.

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Akande stated that while peaceful protest remains a constitutional right, demonstrations must not degenerate into violence or destruction of public property, and advised organisers of protests to notify security agencies.

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He suggested that collaborating with the police can provide protection and ensure that protests remain peaceful, and encouraged organisers to invite journalists to cover demonstrations, as media presence can deter troublemakers.

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Akande further urged police officers to continue carrying out their constitutional duties professionally and strictly in accordance with the law, stressing that the use of force during protests should always be lawful, necessary, and proportionate.

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He identified unemployment and economic hardship as major factors fueling public unrest and appealed to the government to create more opportunities for young people.

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The Vice Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Lagos West Senatorial District, Mr Sunday Aladeotan, commended the police for improving their relationship with youths, saying cases of harassment, extortion, and brutality had reduced significantly compared to previous years.

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Aladeotan, however, urged officers to remain committed to respecting citizens' fundamental rights, recounting a recent encounter with a police officer that he described as unnecessarily prolonged over a minor traffic issue.

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The National Youth Council remains committed to partnering with the police, according to Aladeotan, who disclosed that it had established Directorates of Peace, Ethics and Security across all 57 local government and local council development areas in Lagos to promote peace and assist in community security.

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Aladeotan also appealed to the Lagos State Government to expand youth employment and empowerment programmes, arguing that greater economic opportunities would reduce crime, drug abuse, and social unrest.

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The stakeholders unanimously agreed that sustained dialogue, respect for the rule of law, protection of human rights, and stronger partnerships between government, security agencies, and young people remain critical to ensuring lasting peace and security in Lagos State.