Bayelsan Youth Rewriting the Stories of the Niger Delta

From the state capital in Yenagoa, it takes at least two hours to reach communities like Otuan, Ikebiri 1, Ekowe, Ekeremor and Ayamasa in Bayelsa State. For some, the journey doesn’t end on the road - you must continue by boat, navigating winding waterways into riverine communities that are often overlooked.

In these hard-to-reach areas live young people exposed to drug abuse, cultism, teenage pregnancy, militancy and limited access to opportunities. They are often forgotten. Yet, they carry bold and valid dreams that rarely find the support they need to grow.

Through the UNODC Youth Peace Champions (YPCs) initiative, supported by the Government of Denmark, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is partnering with these young people to #FrameTheFuture. What is unfolding is a transformation led by the youth themselves. With training, mentorship and sustained support, these young people are confronting the very challenges that surround them, while stepping into leadership within their communities.

Ekeremor

“DUH-paa-min.” *Timipa pronounced the word slowly, almost playfully, stretching each syllable as he tried to make sense of it. Curious and eager, the student of Community Secondary School in Ekeremor turned to Austin and asked what it meant.

Austin, a Youth Peace Champion (YPC), smiled, clearly pleased by the curiosity in front of him. Alongside fellow YPCs, he had gathered over forty students for a sensitisation session on drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, cultism and crime. Taking his time, he explained the meaning of “dopamine”, describing it as the feeling people addicted to drugs and alcohol often chase. After this, Austin went further, sharing relatable examples of the harmful effects of drug use. “Thank you!” Timipa said and expressed determination to stay away from drugs.

Before stepping into the school, Austin and his team had met with the community’s paramount ruler and elders, seeking their blessing and support. They also mobilised fellow youth, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and local NGOs, turning a simple sensitisation into a community-driven effort. “The experience and reception by the kids made me realise that what we do is worth it and our message must be continually spread.” - Austin

Ayamasa

“Haa, why una just come? Girls don carry belle finish now.”

*Joel’s words, spoken in Pidgin, carried both frustration and truth: “Why are you only just coming? Many girls are already pregnant.” A student at Community Secondary School in Ayamasa.

The Youth Peace Champions here understood this reality. After securing the endorsement of the Paramount Ruler and community leaders, they began their work with a school sensitisation programme in 2025.

By February 2026, their efforts had grown into a community-wide movement - a road march involving students and NYSC members, followed by a two-day workshop. Beyond advocacy, they distributed sanitary pads and educational materials, combining awareness with practical support.

Ikebiri 1

In Ikebiri 1, the Youth Peace Champions noticed that many students simply did not have basic learning materials. So, they acted. Through local fundraising, they raised about ₦300,000 (approximately $222) to purchase exercise books, pens and other essentials. These were distributed to hundreds of schoolchildren across the community.

What accompanied the distribution was just as important; sensitisation sessions addressing drug abuse, cultism and crime, ensuring that support met both immediate and long-term needs. Their activities also inspired others in their community, with some pledging to fundraise and renovate dilapidated schools in the community.

Ekowe

In Ekowe, where similar challenges persist, Beauty and her fellow YPCs decided to act. Through sensitisation sessions, they engaged about 30 children and teenagers on issues affecting their lives. Beauty extended this work to the Federal Polytechnic in Ekowe, where she spoke directly to 10 young women about staying in school and building skills for self-reliance.

Her work did not end with one session. She continues to mentor these girls, creating a steady support system as they navigate complex social pressures.

Otuan

In Otuan, the approach took a deeply personal turn. Tari, a Youth Peace Champion, knows the weight of teenage pregnancy firsthand. Once told directly and indirectly that her life had come to a halt, she chose to rewrite her own story.

Today, she is doing the same for others. Through her initiative, Rising Stars of Otuan, Tari creates a safe, non-judgmental space for teenage mothers. About 10 of them meet monthly to talk, rebuild confidence and reshape their futures.

A farmer herself, Tari goes on to further train these young women in farming and employs some of them on her farm, providing both skills and income. Alongside this, she and other YPCs continue sensitisation visits to schools like St. Nathaniel Primary School and Community Secondary School, ensuring prevention and support go hand in hand.

Piracy, Youth and the Niger Delta

Across the Niger Delta, broader structural challenges persist. Poverty, unemployment and limited infrastructure create conditions where criminal networks thrive.

According to UNODC, organized crime in the region is driven by these vulnerabilities, compounded by environmental degradation from illegal oil activities. While incidents such as piracy have declined since 2021, the region remains high-risk, particularly for armed robbery and illegal fishing. Young people are often the primary targets for recruitment into these networks.

More than sensitisation

What is happening across these communities goes beyond awareness campaigns. It is youth-led change. Over 1,000 children and youth have been physically reached with key advocacy messages centred on community resilience and crime prevention.

In places where many young people feel overlooked, the Youth Peace Champions are stepping forward, mobilising their peers, raising resources and building solutions from within.

From Austin to Beauty, Tari and many others are young people equipped with skills in community engagement, social media, and creative communication. They are promoting peace, strengthening social cohesion and actively preventing crime. The Youth Peace Champions initiative is not only helping them expand their own horizons, but also opening pathways for others in their communities.

They are not waiting for change. They are creating it. By building opportunities and resilience among youth, they are quietly closing the space for criminal networks to recruit young people and children in the Niger Delta.