Founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), Matthew Ashimolowo, has urged the Federal Government to incorporate security training into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme as part of efforts to tackle the rising security challenges across the country.
Speaking during a Thursday interview with Channel Television, Ashimolowo said integrating corps members into community-level security structures would strengthen early detection of threats and enhance national vigilance.
“Our NYSC guys, we should train all of them to the point where they see somebody smoking hemp, not even committing any crime, they swing into action; then security level will increase,” he said on Sunrise Daily.
He encouraged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing security reforms, saying collective responsibility was crucial in confronting the nation’s security crisis.
“Let’s stand behind our president now that he has called for more policing. Let’s stand behind our president now that he has called for more soldiers,” he added.
Ashimolowo argued that Nigeria’s youthful population—estimated at 60 percent—represents a strategic asset that can be mobilised to strengthen internal security. He suggested adopting a model similar to practices in Israel.
“Every time I go to Israel, I’m amazed Israel’s army are 18-year-olds. You serve in Israel’s army from 18 to 22. All our NYSC guys, we should train all of them,” he said.
The cleric, however, expressed concern about the push for state police, warning that it could be abused. According to him, state-controlled policing structures “may work, but it will end up being the personal army of somebody who will begin to use it at some point to terrorize others.”
He concluded by calling on citizens to unite in support of national security initiatives.
“Let’s raise the security level, let’s make our people proud to be Nigerians, let’s tap into the brain in our nation… But above all, in my opinion, everyone should go on security maintenance,” he said.
