By Atiku Galadima, Maiduguri
The Peace Ambassadors Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Empowerment (PACHE) has warned that Nigeria’s peace hinges on deliberate investment in its youth, particularly in Borno State, where young people have been central to both the state’s conflict-ridden past and its prospects for long-term stability.
Speaking at the launch of a youth development programme in Maiduguri on Thursday, PACHE President, Ambassador Ahmed Shehu, said empowering the youth is critical to consolidating hard-won gains across the North-East and sustaining national security.
He emphasised that engaging young people effectively is essential to preventing a relapse into violence
Shehu recalled that youths played pivotal roles at the onset of the insurgency and were equally instrumental in supporting security responses through the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
The programme, implemented in partnership with the British Council, the Borno State Ministry of Information, and guidance and counselling agencies, is designed to equip selected youths with essential soft skills often lacking among graduates.
Shehu highlighted communication, leadership, teamwork, time management, and critical thinking as areas where many young people need support, citing cases where graduates struggled to prepare a simple CV or present themselves during interviews.
He said more than 700 youths applied for the programme, but limited resources allowed only 25 to participate in the three-month intensive training.
He added that previous editions produced 14 participants who secured employment, including one now working with an international organisation after improving her report-writing and communication skills.
Shehu appealed for broader support from individuals, institutions, and development partners to expand the programme, stressing that youth empowerment would boost economic prospects, nurture community leadership, and strengthen grassroots resilience.
He warned that idleness, unemployment, and poor guidance could undermine hard-won gains. “For Borno to secure lasting peace, its young people must have the skills to think critically, lead responsibly, and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.
Also speaking, the Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, commended PACHE for partnering with the British Council, guidance and counselling agencies, and the Ministry of Information on the initiative.
He said the programme equips young people with skills to be self-reliant and create their own employment rather than depend solely on government jobs.
“The era of finishing a degree or diploma and waiting for government employment is long gone,” Prof. Tar said, adding that empowering youth is essential in a rapidly changing world.
He further explained that providing young people with livelihoods reduces the appeal of violence and insurgency, noting that poverty and idleness remain major drivers of insecurity. Equipping youths with employable skills, he said, strengthens economic independence while directly supporting the state’s peace-building efforts.
Prof. Tar expressed gratitude to PACHE for its sustained commitment to youth development in Borno.