UK Strengthens Security, Youth and Women Empowerment Partnership with Bayelsa

The United Kingdom has reinforced its partnership with Bayelsa State following a three-day working visit by the British Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, Mrs Gill Lever OBE, aimed at consolidating gains in community security, youth development, governance, and women’s empowerment.

The visit centred on the UK-funded Serious and Organised Crime Prevent Programme, locally known as the Brighter Futures Programme, which supports vulnerable young people with skills training, mentoring, and resilience-building initiatives to prevent their recruitment into criminal networks.

The programme, which recorded an 80 per cent success rate in diverting at-risk youths from organised crime, is set to conclude its current phase in March 2026.

Full ownership will transition to the Bayelsa State Government, marking what officials described as a significant milestone in local capacity-building and sustainability.

During the visit, Mrs Lever met with Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to review the programme’s progress and formally recognise his role in advancing youth-focused security initiatives.

The UK acknowledged the governor as a Prevent Ambassador in recognition of his support and commitment to the programme’s objectives.

Discussions also explored opportunities to expand the initiative to additional local government areas and vulnerable communities.

The delegation also held talks with the First Lady of Bayelsa State, Dr Gloria Diri, focusing on strategies to enhance women’s political participation, strengthen leadership development pathways, and broaden support systems for women and girls across the state.

In a broad stakeholder engagement, the Deputy High Commissioner met with civil society organisations including the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (BANGOF), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Fringe Voices, and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria.

The session examined issues surrounding governance, civic engagement, youth vulnerability, and emerging security trends.

Mrs Lever also paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo (Agada IV), Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, where discussions highlighted the role of traditional institutions in promoting peace, community cohesion, and positive youth engagement.

At a community town hall meeting in Amarata, beneficiaries of the Brighter Futures Programme shared testimonies of how the initiative had equipped them with marketable skills and new opportunities, particularly in Amarata and Amassoma communities.

The visit comes ahead of a significant diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to undertake a state visit to the UK from March 18–19, 2026; the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, hosted at Windsor Castle by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties under the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership and the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), with a focus on sustainable growth, security cooperation, and economic expansion