News
Complement your positive engagements to create meaningful environment for Youth- Olawande urged Stakeholders
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, has urged various stakeholders in Youth development to complement their positive engagements to create meaningful environment so that young people of this country can thrive.
The Minister made this appeal when he received the team of World bank officials led by their team leader Masheshwor Shrestha, World bank economist in his office in Abuja.
In the words of the Minister: “when you are engaged positively, you have a feeling that the government exists and what the president is doing. We can complement this to create a meaningful environment so that young people of this country can thrive”.
According to the Honourable Minister, since the inception in 2007, the Ministry has been saddled with the development of more than half of Nigeria’s population.He explained that the current reality shows that 60 million youths are in the labour market and additional 5.5 million youths join the labour market every year and almost 58 percent of informal workforce are young people while the majority of these informal youths are found in rural areas and semi-urban areas being vulnerable and at risk. These data, he opined, will go a long way in the development of Nigeria if harnessed effectively.
Olawande expressed his dissatisfaction in the deficiency of skills for job market, relevant vocational training, lack of access to capital and funds safety, infrastructural deficit.He thereby implored various stakeholders to build on the existing collaboration with the world bank to address all these challenges to better the lives of Nigerian youths.
“Since we assumed office, our focus has been to achieve a strong coordinated mechanism for all youth interventions, focus on economic inclusion, provide jobs directly and indirectly for at least 10 million youth within the next five years, ensuring that youth is proficient in at least two income generating skills, expand our credit support funds by 50 million dollars to reach young people businesses and to increase Nigeria’s Youth -focused infrastructure” the Minister stressed.
In his presentation, the World bank economist and the leader of the team, Masheshwor Shrestha disclosed that his organisation is ready to engage Nigerian youths on three pathways . According to him, the first of these three pillars of engagement is to give them the skills and match them to a job that they are suited for.
The second is to facilitate, manage migration opportunities which would probably not give the jobs to everybody but it will relieve the stress on the economy, particularly, when there are no enough domestic jobs.
The third pillar,he added ,is the fallback employment and there could be safety net type support, like public works where they get some income but at the same time, use that as a platform to link them to more skilling entrepreneurship, and other opportunities that are out there.
“One of the key assets of this Ministry is the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC )program and because of the number of Youth NYSC touches every single year and throughout the year, it is a platform that is unequal to the rest. The idea here is to use it to leverage that platform”. Shrestha stated.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olubunmi Olusanya stated that the Ministry will do everything possible to build on the existing collaboration with the World bank for a more robust opportunities for the youth of this country to thrive.
News
Amb Lion Ogorry Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Sahara Reporters, Sowore For Misleading and Malicious Publication Endangering National Security
Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry, a renowned public advocacy practitioner and activist, today announced the filing of a high-profile lawsuit against Sahara Reporters Ltd. and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore, in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The suit, numbered FCT/HC/CV/4767/2025, accuses the defendants of publishing a false, malicious, and reckless article that violates Nigeria’s Constitution, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015, and other laws protecting public discourse, national security, and public order.
The originating summons, filed on November 24, 2025, stems from a Sahara Reporters article titled
“EXCLUSIVE: How Tinubu’s Defence Minister Matawalle Maintains Contact With Bandit Leaders, Ordered Them To Compel Communities To Vote For APC—Former Aide,” published on November 19, 2025.
Ambassador Ogorry alleges that the publication contains grave, unfounded accusations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, claiming he maintains illicit contacts with bandit leaders, orders communities to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and engages in activities that undermine counter-terrorism efforts.
These claims, according to the suit, are not only false but also fabricated to incite alarm, hatred, and ill-will, while endangering national security and public safety.
In his affidavit supporting the summons, Ambassador Ogorry, a Nigerian citizen and resident of Abuja with a long-standing commitment to public order and lawful civic discourse, emphasized that the article was disseminated widely across Sahara Reporters’ website, social media channels, X.com (Twitter) account, Facebook pages, WhatsApp broadcasts, and other platforms. He described the publication as a blatant violation of Section 39(3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits speech that endangers public safety, national security, and public order. Furthermore, it contravenes Sections 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 by disseminating false, misleading, and harmful information capable of causing alarm or ill-will.
“The defendants’ reckless actions have not only tarnished the reputation of a dedicated public servant but have also compromised ongoing military operations against banditry and terrorism in Nigeria’s North-West region,” said Ambassador Ogorry. “This publication promotes distrust, exposes the Minister to risks, and undermines the morale of our armed forces engaged in counter-terrorism. It is a direct assault on our national security and the freedom of expression that must be balanced with responsibility.”
The lawsuit seeks the following reliefs from the court:
– A declaration that the publication is false, misleading, malicious, and not protected speech under Section 39(1) of the Constitution (as amended).
– A declaration that it falls within restricted speech under Section 39(3)(a), endangering public safety, national security, and public order.
– A declaration that it violates Sections 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 by prohibiting false, harmful, or misleading information.
– AN ORDER OF INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants, their agents, or privies from further publishing, distributing, circulating, or causing to be circulated the said false publication or any other malicious publication especially as it relates to and against the person of Defence Minister, Dr. Matawalle.
– An order directing the defendants to issue a public retraction of the publication and publish a full apology on their website and social media channels for 14 consecutive days.
– General and exemplary damages of N10,000,000,000 (Ten Billion Naira) for the frivolous, false, and malicious publication geared toward endangering public safety, national security, and public order.
Ambassador Ogorry highlighted that the article, based on unverified claims from an alleged “former senior aide,” lacks any official record or evidence, demonstrating the defendants’ disregard for truth and ethical journalism. He urged the court to address this as a matter of urgent national importance, citing precedents such as President F.R.N. v. ISA (2017) and Guardian Newspapers v. AIEH (2011), which affirm that freedom of expression does not protect reckless publications that threaten security.
“This lawsuit is not just about correcting a falsehood; it’s about safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy, protecting public officials from baseless attacks, and ensuring media accountability,” Ambassador Ogorry added. “Sahara Reporters and Omoyele Sowore must be held responsible for their role in spreading dangerous misinformation that could fuel terrorism and disrupt public order.”
The case is set for hearing in the Abuja Judicial Division, and Ambassador Ogorry expressed confidence in the judiciary’s ability to uphold justice and constitutional principles.
About Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry
Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry is a public advocacy practitioner, activist, and Nigerian citizen dedicated to promoting national security, public order, and lawful civic discourse. With a focus on protecting public discourse from malicious interference, he advocates for responsible journalism and governance.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured6 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News11 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
