Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Police Spokesperson Captain Guot Guot Akol (left) and UNMISS personnel speak to students. (Photo: Eye Radio).

The police in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have started an awareness campaign to sensitize the youth to avoid committing criminal activities.

According to the police spokesperson, Captain Guot Guot Akol, cases of rape, attempted suicide or suicide, and murder are commonly reported among young people.

Captain Akol says the sensitization and crime awareness will contribute to peaceful coexistence, stability, and security in the state.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Thursday, Akol said the campaign is targeting secondary school students both boys and girls.

“This sensitization has many objectives is to help the student to distance themselves from criminals’ actives and to prolong and enhance the relationship between the police and the citizen,” he said.

The police official said majority of the young people do not intend to commit crimes but that they are unaware that their actions are criminal.

“You see them grouping attacking themselves, rapping girls, not because they want to but because they are under the influence of the teen age,” Akol said.

“We just don’t want them to commit crimes first, and arrest them later. We call it an early warning.”

According to a security official, the campaign will last for 12 weeks.

“The sensitization campaigns will talk about rap cases, murder, suicide and abortion, and so on. We shall be going from school to school.”

He further revealed that the crime statistics from last year in the state show that most of the crimes were committed by young people between the age of 18 and 21.