Kano – An Islamic scholar, Malama Hafsat Bello, yesterday, said that youth empowerment, through the provision of sustainable means of profitable employment will eliminate criminal tendencies and enhance national security.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano that the federal and state governments should give priority to the creation of job opportunities to bring a new lease of life to youths under the new dispensation.

Bello said it was by constructively engaging the youths that government could effectively wean them from crime and other negative tendencies.

She said:“Once they graduate from school and have no tangible things to do, they accept whatever comes their way, even if it is illegal.

“Most other countries with huge number of jobless youths are also facing the reality of being endangered by national insecurity.

“It is painful when you watch a child grow and receive minimal level of education, and then some groups of people indoctrinate him and change his manner of reasoning, turning him into a terrorist who can kill his own people in the name of any religion or selfish
interest.”