The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Lagos State Chapter, has inaugurated the Lagos Youth Safety and Emergency Champions, LYSEC, an initiative aimed at complementing the activities of safety and emergency-response agencies across the state.
The inauguration took place during the Lagos Youth Talk Series 2.0 organised by NYCN Lagos on Wednesday at the Sam Shonibare Youth Centre, Surulere with the theme: “Street-Smart Safety: How Lagos Youth Can Strengthen Community Emergency Response.”
Stakeholders at the event charged young people across Lagos to make proper use of the state’s emergency toll-free numbers, 767 and 112, during crises instead of calling public officials directly.
Speaking at the programme, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, commended the initiative, noting that safety is a shared responsibility and that government and citizens must work together to maintain a secure environment across the state.
Ogunlende stated that the state government’s steady support for the activities of the youth umbrella body demonstrates its commitment to the THEMES Plus agenda, in which youth inclusiveness is an integral component. He stressed that safety and security remain everyone’s concern.
He said his presence at the event reaffirmed the government’s commitment to youth empowerment, noting that young people make up about sixty percent of Lagos’ population and must be actively engaged in governance.
The Commissioner encouraged youths to participate from the grassroots level, beginning at their wards and local governments, and to see themselves as leaders starting today.
Delivering a keynote address, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Olugbenga Oyerinde, highlighted the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s efforts under the THEMES Plus agenda to strengthen emergency response in Lagos.
Oyerinde, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Tobi Oladepo, referenced the state’s technology-driven Command and Control Centre, as well as key agencies such as the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
He noted that the government has repositioned Local Emergency Management Committees across local governments to ensure quicker grassroots response. Youths were encouraged to support advocacy efforts, avoid obstructing emergency responders, and adopt the slogan, “If you see something, say something.”
In his welcome address, NYCN Lagos State Chairman, Engr. Adigun Ibrahim, described the engagement as timely, particularly for a fast-growing megacity like Lagos with a large youthful population. He stated that young people, when properly trained and coordinated, can serve as first responders and early warning systems within their communities.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Hon. Moyosore Adebanjo, encouraged youths to remain resilient and not to fear failure, describing it as part of the journey to success.
Also speaking, the Head of Department, ICT at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Muyiwa Yusuf, advised youths to embrace continuous learning and re-learning.
He used the opportunity to inform participants about INEC’s ongoing voter registration exercise, urging them to avoid double registration and to make use of the commission’s mobile registration machines deployed across local governments.
The event was attended by government security and emergency agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), among others, who pledged continued collaboration.