YOUTHS in the southeast geopolitical zone have pleaded with security agencies to always apply rules of engagement in confronting the current security challenge in the region.

The youths also beckoned on their peer groups to remain law-abiding and avoid associating with any unlawfully created sect.

Both cautions were, made on Wednesday, when Ndigbo Youth Parliament, NYP,  held a security summit in Enugu.

Speaker of Ndigbo Youth Parliament, Hon. Chinedu Nwajiofor said that the essence of the summit was to nip insecurity in the region in the bud through dialogue and sensitisation.

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Nwajiofor recalled that the presently escalated insecurity problem in the Northeast assumed the deteriorated standard because it was poorly managed at the onset.

He however said it was disheartening to note that some bad eggs were in the security agencies and who act outside the rules of engagement.

“Security personnel should desist from actions that can depict them as foes instead of friends. The youth can only collaborate with the security personnel when they are seen as friends. Ndigbo Youth is lovers of peace and, if given sufficient sense of belonging will collaborate with security agencies in fishing out enemies of our land,” Nwajiofor said.

He said that the NYP studied the ongoing attacks and reprisal to find the need for urgent roundtable discussions between them and security agencies.

“For us, it’s time to come to a roundtable for veritable discussion on how to proffer lasting solution to these menaces. No party is enjoying the oddity, neither the security agencies nor Ndigbo, except the enemies of the nation and sons of perdition,” Nwajiofor stated.

Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, represented by Assistant Director in the ministry, Mrs Lami Nature said that the youths were the greatest assets of a Nation whose investment is key to attainment to the required height of development.

The security agencies in attendance included the police, the Civil Defence, immigration, Customs Service, that joined government executive council members, youths from Igbo speaking states and other stakeholders in the one day summit.