The Lagos State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the Bureau of the Public Defender and youth leaders on Wednesday advocated stronger collaboration between young people and security agencies to improve community safety, protect citizens’ rights and promote peaceful coexistence.

The call was made at the Intelligence Summit on Youth-Police Engagement Programme for the Epe Division, themed “Bridging the Gap: Youth-Police Engagement for Community Safety and Social Reform,” held in Epe, Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, the Area Commander, Epe Area Command, CSP Kabiru Sulaiman, said effective policing could only succeed with the cooperation of members of the public.

“We police officers have no extra society. We are in the same society, and I believe everyone wants a safer society. All we want from you is partnership,” he said.

Sulaiman urged residents to embrace the “See Something, Say Something” initiative and to report suspicious activities to security agencies.

He also advised organisers of protests to engage the police before embarking on demonstrations.

“Yes, it is your right to protest, but it is very important to carry the police along,” he said.

Describing the police as partners in community development, Sulaiman rejected the notion that the force is an enemy of the people.

“Police are your friend. Except if you tell me that you are no friend to the police. We are your friend because it is only the police you can see anytime. Even in the dead of the night, you will always find someone to listen to you.”

He urged residents to make use of complaint channels established by the Lagos State Police Command and called on communities to work closely with law enforcement to strengthen security.

The Director of Citizens’ Rights at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr Emmanuel Akande, urged young people to embrace dialogue before resorting to protests, saying peaceful engagement remained the best approach to resolving grievances.

He warned that violent protests and the destruction of public property undermine development and discourage investment.

Akande stressed that although the constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, “your rights end where another person’s rights begin,” adding that protests should be conducted peacefully and within the law.

He also advised organisers of protests to notify the police, explaining that such engagement helps ensure the safety of protesters and members of the public.

The Director of the Bureau of the Public Defender, Mrs Olubunmi Adesomoju, assured participants that the agency remained committed to protecting the rights of vulnerable residents across the state.

“We are here to protect the rights of the indigents as well as the vulnerable within Lagos State. We consider the youth as part of the vulnerable within Lagos State. So we are here to protect your rights,” she said.

Adesomoju said the bureau provides free legal advice, legal representation and mediation services to residents who encounter legal challenges.

“If by any reason you have an issue, it may be with the police, it may be with other government agencies, or even private establishments, please feel free to come to us. We are first responders,” she said.

She urged residents to seek assistance whenever they or someone they know is arrested or detained.

“If you’ve been arrested, somebody you know has been arrested, and you don’t know how to go about it, come to us, and we will educate you. We are there to provide free legal services, free legal advice, even free legal representation.”

Adesomoju added that the bureau has offices across Lagos State and encouraged residents to use its toll-free telephone lines and the Lagos State Citizens’ Gate platform to report complaints.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Lagos East Senatorial District, Olatunji Asoro, blamed stereotypes for the mistrust between young people and the police.

“One of the major issues that creates a gap between the youth and the police today is what I call stereotyping,” he said.

He noted that many children grow up fearing the police because they are often used as a threat during their upbringing.

He also urged officers to avoid profiling young people based on their appearance.

“We should not generalise that because someone has dreadlocks, or is wearing ripped jeans, or someone is dressing flashy, he has become a criminal. We should try to avoid the issue of generalisation,” Asoro said.

He also called for improved welfare for police officers, saying, “If their welfare is fine, and they are doing well with themselves and their families, they will not transfer aggression to the youth or the general population.”

Representing the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement and the Permanent Secretary of the office, the Director of Civic Engagement, Dr Omotayo Babatunde, said the Lagos State Government remained committed to inclusive governance and community participation.

He said the administration believed that “inclusive governance and multi-faceted security remain central to sustainable development.”

According to him, “security can no longer be viewed solely as the responsibility of security agencies. Rather, it is a shared responsibility that requires the active participation of government and citizens.”

Babatunde described the engagement as a platform to strengthen public trust and civic participation, urging participants to return to their communities and contribute to building safer and more peaceful societies.