Mr Victor Kona, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has discouraged youths to allowing themselves to be used as instrument of violence by elites.
Kona gave the advice on Sunday at the Swearing-in Ceremony of National Officials of Jukun-Kona Youths Development Association (JKYDA) in Jalingo.
He said that youths were generally involved in all kinds of violent crimes, adding that the practice was inimical to the society.
The party chairman, also urged the Jukun-Kona youths to avoid consumption of illicit drugs and organise themselves properly for future leadership in every sphere of social endeavor.
He commended the Jukun-Kona youths for organising themselves with a structure that would service as a voice for the entire Jukun-Kona community.
He pledged to support the youths to ensure they had a voice in the government as well as benefit from the government.
Earlier, Rev. Fr. Cyriacus Kamai, Protem Chairman of the youths urged the new officials of the union to redeem the image of the Jukun-Kona youths.
Kamai, who was the brain behind the formation of the association said that the youths would to tolerate any of their members who would involve in crisis or act that would bring disrepute to the community.
He urged the association to cooperate with community leaders to clean and mop-up the messes that were associated with the Kona people.
The clergy assured the new executive of his spiritual and moral support to enable the youths actualise their goals.
“I am urging our newly sworn-in executive to redeem the bad image associated with our people.
“A lot of people had been using our name to cause trouble and I charge you to clean up all the negative reports on our youths.
“We are tired of negative stereotype and we want position reports on Kona people, but you must be steadfast in achieving this tasks.
“You must develop mechanism for sanctioning those deviants especially those who are engaged in drug addiction.
“Many criminals take advantage of lack of our organisation to do criminality and still go unchecked’, He added.
Kamai also debunked reports that Jukun-Kona youths were involved in cattle rustling.
He said that the community had arrested cows on their farms and handed them over to the police who mediated and release to owners upon payment of compensation for the crops they destroyed.
He urged those youths who were deserious to resort to kidnapping and cattle rustling not to get involved into such crimes.
According to him, the laws of the land will surely catch up with you.
In his remarks, Mr Joseph Bonaventure, newly sworn-in president of the association appeal to the Jukun-Kona youths to conduct themselves in mannars that would promote the good culture and and image of the entire Jukun-Kona people.
Bonaventure assured the members of an all inclusive leadership and deliver on the assignment he was chosen to carry out.
He thanked the traditional rulers in Jukun Kona land for their support to ensure the event was successful.
