United Nations Drug Agency, Bayelsa Empower Youths
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative for Nigeria, Mr. Cheikh Toure, has described the inauguration of the Youth Peace Champions in Bayelsa State as a crucial investment in leadership, resilient communities, and the vision of a peaceful, prosperous Nigeria.
Speaking in Yenagoa at the official inauguration, Toure told PulseNets that the Bayelsa Youth Peace Champions are joining “a growing national movement, spanning geopolitical zones and cultures, united by a common purpose: to reclaim peace and rebuild futures.”
According to him, the timing could not be more significant, as this year’s International Youth Day, themed “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, reinforces the urgency of empowering young people with skills, platforms, and mentorship.
“We are equipping these young people with skills and a platform to amplify their voices, propose solutions, and stand as beacons of hope for their peers. This is not charity. It is not tokenism. It is a vital investment in leadership, in resilient communities, and in the peaceful, prosperous Nigeria we envision,” Toure said.
A Strategic Expansion into Niger Delta
PulseNets learnt that the initiative, supported by Denmark, marks the first-ever expansion of the UNODC youth-led peace-building model from the Northeast into the Niger Delta. The programme, celebrated for its impact in regions affected by conflict, is now being adapted to Bayelsa’s unique context.
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth, Alfred Kemepado, spoke to PulseNets on the significance of the launch:
“On this International Youth Day, we stand united with UNODC to ignite a movement, one that empowers our young people to become torchbearers of peace and leadership. The inauguration is more than a programme; it is a call to action. It is a bold statement that the voices, courage, and vision of our youth will shape the destiny of Bayelsa, of Nigeria, and of the world.”
He stressed that the Bayelsa Youth Peace Champions will become a generation that “will not only dream of peace but will defend it, live it, and lead it.”
Youth-Led Grassroots Peace Movement
Reported by PulseNets, the Youth Peace Champions initiative is deeply rooted in the conviction that sustainable peace must be people-led and youth-powered. The model equips young leaders with peace-building tools, training, mentorship, and platforms to drive change within their communities.
Under the Strengthening the Niger Delta Peace Architecture Project—which uses community-based crime and violence prevention strategies funded by Denmark—the Bayelsa launch aligns with the state’s pioneering youth policy. Experts told PulseNets it could serve as a blueprint for youth-led transformation across Nigeria.
From Northeast Success to Bayelsa Impact
UNODC reported that in the Northeast, 32 Youth Peace Champions reached more than nine million Nigerians with campaigns like #SeeTheChild, shifting narratives and rebuilding community trust. The same tested methodology is now being localized in Bayelsa.
A carefully selected cohort of 25 young leaders from Otuan, Ekeremor, Ikebiri 1, Ekowe, and Ayamasa has already been inaugurated. The group consists of 13 females (including one with a disability) and 12 males, representing both formal and informal sectors.
These champions will undergo intensive training in peace-building, drug use prevention, future-forward skills, creative communication, and emerging global trends. Beyond that, they will be mentored by established leaders across sectors who share UNODC’s conviction that “peace must be youth-led and locally driven.”
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Far beyond advocacy, PulseNets learnt that the Bayelsa Youth Peace Champions are expected to serve as visible role models in their communities, promoting self-reliance, social cohesion, and sustainable, community-owned solutions.
The programme reflects a bold vision: raising a generation of Nigerians who will not only inherit peace but will defend it, live it, and lead it into the future.
