The centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged the federal government to address the issue of youth unemployment as they continued to provide the recruitment base for Boko Haram insurgents and urban violent gangs.

The programme manager of CITAD, Abdulganiyu Rufa’i stated this during a policy brief titled Beyond Winning the Minds: Youth, Peace Building and Entrepreneurship, held at Murtala Muhammad Library in Kano State yestyerday.

According to him, tackling the problem of unemployment among youth would prevent them from being recruited into joining extremists group or engaging in violent activities in the society, noting that engaging the youth would make them productive and legitimate economic actors in the society.

He said, “government should introduce mainstream entrepreneurship programme as part of winning away youth from extremists ideas. The government should also leverage the vast potentials of outsourcing an IT-based business to create jobs for teeming unemployed youths in the country.” He advised

He noted that the state governments need to review their youth policies in line with the modern democratic era.

Rufa’i also called on the civil society groups to advocate and monitor the implementation of the provisions of various youth related policies, adding that the NGOs should engage out of school youth in peace building and entrepreneurship.