‘Youth, Police Collaboration Key To Restorative Justice, Peace’

The task of ensuring peace and safety in Lagos State is one that calls for collaborative efforts between the youth and Police in the state.
The State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Olusegun Dawodu, stated this at the grand finale of the second edition of the Police-Youth Dialogue organised by the ministry.
Dawodu said the dialogue was targeted at mending, building, trustung, healing,  and strengthening the relationship between law enforcement personnel and young people in the state.
“It is also designed as a tangible tool to bring attention to issues causing tension between law enforcement officers and the youth, thereby building a model towards restorative justice rather than punitive discipline”, he said.
The commissioner, who expressed satisfaction over the success of the dialogue, stated that the programme has shown that the state was committed to a lawful, peaceful and safe Lagos State.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, said that the dialogue was not just an intellectual gathering of young leaders in Lagos State, but a platform where burning issues were  extensively  discussed in a bid to bridge communication gap between the Lagos State Police Command and the youths resident in the state.
Lagos State Police Commissioner,  Abiodun Alabi,  said that the misunderstanding between the Police and youth was as a result of impatience between the former and the latter, which could be resolved through dialogue.
Represented by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, Alabi pledged the full support of the Nigeria Police Force to the programme, describing the forum as a laudable one.
On his part, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Lagos State,  Segun Agbaje, represented by Mrs. Adenike Datashe, in his presentation on ‘The Role of the Youth in Ensuring a Violence-Free 2023 Elections: Peaceful Voting Culture’, enlightened the youths on the dos and don’ts of credible elections.