Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has commended young people who marched through the state capital in support of efforts against terrorism, cultism and other forms of violent crime.
The demonstrators included youths, National Youth Service Corps members and students who carried banners calling for vigilance, neighborhood security and rejection of terrorism.
They later converged at Government House, where Mbah said the decision by young people to take ownership of the anti-crime campaign was significant.
The governor said security had been treated as a central development priority since the beginning of his administration because investment and economic growth depended on a safe environment.
He urged youths not to remain passive but to become active participants in campaigns against cultism, terrorism and criminality.
Mbah said stronger youth participation could reduce crime and allow more public resources to be directed toward jobs, education and poverty reduction.
He also argued that correctional facilities would become less necessary if fewer young people entered criminal activity.
The governor said the state would complement enforcement with non-kinetic measures, including job creation, education and digital-skills programs.
He urged the demonstrators to extend their campaign to communities across Enugu State.
A leader of the march, Emeka Ejim of the Institute of Management and Technology, described the coalition as a broad youth movement united against crime and violent extremism.
Enugu State NANS leader Kelvin Okeke said the association planned to mobilize large numbers of young people in support of the campaign.
Participants also praised state investments in security infrastructure, including the Command and Control Centre, forensic capabilities and the Distress Response Squad.
Some NYSC members said their experience of security in Enugu had changed negative perceptions they held before being posted to the South-East.
Claims about the effectiveness of particular security interventions remain based on statements by state officials and participants in the march.
