United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC)), Denmark and Bayelsa Government have launched a new project to tackle crime and violence in Niger Delta.
UNDOC representative, Dr Oliver Stolpe, and the Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Sune Krogstrup, while launching the project in Yenagoa, yesterday, said the project was aimed at supporting the government and communities in the implementation of the 2022 Bayelsa State Community-Based Crime Prevention Strategy.
According to Stolpe, the project will be implemented in five communities across Bayelsa State, empowering them through joint security committees to manage their security environment-proactively, helping to address the root causes of crime and violence.
The project, he said, would also enhance collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies in building trust and fostering lasting partnerships.
According to him, the new project will build on the successfully implemented first phase, which, with funding from the government of Germany, was implemented between 2021 and 2023.
The project also established youth centres and introduced Line Up Live Up, a sports-based youth crime prevention programme, being delivered by sport coaches across the three communities of Oyuan, Ikeberi 1 and Ayamasa.