‘Destroy The Youth, Destroy Nigeria’s Future’ – YABATECH Rector Warns
The Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, has warned that the destruction of Nigerian youths through crime, cultism, drug abuse and other social vices could have devastating consequences for the country’s future.
Abdul gave the warning when a delegation of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF-CACCOV) led by its State Coordinator, Dr. Oladimeji Moses (3rd from right) and President, Alumni Association of Yabatech, Bldr. Yemi Osinbajo during a courtesy visit on partnership at the college Council Chamber. visited YABATECH to explore a strategic partnership on crime prevention, youth sensitisation and campus security.
The Rector stressed that the responsibility for protecting young people should go beyond arresting offenders, arguing that preventive education and early intervention were essential to winning the war against crime.
“It’s not only about securing now. It’s about securing the future. If you want to attack the future of education, just destroy their youth,” Abdul said.
He noted that the consequences of allowing young people to be derailed by criminal influences extended beyond individual victims and their families, as the nation could lose a generation of potential leaders, professionals and innovators.
According to him, tertiary institutions have a critical role to play in protecting students from negative influences and preparing them to become responsible citizens and future leaders.
The Rector commended the LSSTF delegation for its preventive approach to security, particularly its focus on educating and engaging young people before they become victims or perpetrators of crime.
He expressed delight that the initiative was being championed by a YABATECH alumnus, describing the development as a demonstration of the positive impact of the institution on its graduates.
Abdul also praised the YABATECH Alumni Association for its continued commitment to the welfare and development of the institution, saying the partnership between the college, its alumni and security stakeholders could produce lasting benefits for students.
He said the college was prepared to support programmes that would expose students to the dangers of crime, cultism, drug abuse and other activities capable of jeopardising their education and future.
The Rector said the protection of young people should be regarded as a collective responsibility involving educational institutions, government agencies, security organisations, parents, alumni bodies and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of the initiative, Dr. Oladimeji Moses, who is also a YABATECH alumnus, said the organisation had chosen the college as one of its strategic partners because of its large population of young people and its potential to influence future leaders.
Moses recalled that the initiative had earlier participated in YABATECH’s orientation programme for newly admitted students, where more than 1,000 students were sensitised on the dangers of crime and negative peer influence.
He said the organisation wanted the campaign to extend beyond fresh students to cover students at different levels, including HND and part-time programmes.
“We want to ensure that this message spreads across the board because the issue of crime is a major challenge,” he said.
Moses warned that young people were sometimes lured into criminal groups with promises of wealth, power and influence, stressing that such promises often concealed serious consequences for their education, families and future.
He also identified illicit drug use as a major threat to the wellbeing and productive capacity of Nigerian youths, calling for stronger preventive measures in schools and communities.
According to him, security agencies cannot win the battle against crime through enforcement alone, making preventive education and early intervention imperative.
He proposed sustained sensitisation programmes at YABATECH, including the deployment of strategically positioned anti-crime messages and signages across the campus to discourage students from joining criminal groups.
The delegation also proposed stronger security-reporting mechanisms and closer coordination with relevant security agencies to ensure prompt attention to credible threats within the institution.
The National President of the YABATECH Alumni Association, Yemi Oshibajo, supported the proposed collaboration, describing it as an important initiative for promoting safety and responsible citizenship among students.
Oshibajo commended the association’s Student Affairs and Education Committee for facilitating the relationship between the Alumni Association, the college and the security trust fund.
He said the alumni body would continue to support student-centred programmes capable of keeping students constructively engaged and strengthening their relationship with the institution.
