Promoting sustainable peace is a major concern for world regions, especially one enmeshed in recurring conflict and violence, such as in Africa. Ethnoreligious conflicts, boundary disputes, genocide, resource-based conflicts, and youth restiveness characterize many African nations. This idea has been made intricate by a surge in the youth population, massive unemployment, limited education opportunities, and widespread poverty that makes youth key factors in the generation of conflict in Africa. Despite these challenges, the youth of many African nations have distinguished themselves as agents of peace and conflict resolution. On this premise, this article examines youth as agents of peace and reconciliation in Africa. The paper adopts a thematic approach within a qualitative framework and relies on secondary data from briefs, newspapers, conference papers, government reports, and peer-reviewed journal articles. The paper found that shifting focus from the stereotypical prejudice of youth as agents of conflict to agents of peace is instrumental to unlocking their potential as actors in Africa's peace process and conflict resolution. It was also found that youth promote peace and inclusion through advocacy and civic engagement. They use tools such as music, arts, sports, education, storytelling, and interfaith dialogue to build cohesion, resilience, peace, and trust in various parts of Africa. Resultantly, the article made practical policy recommendations such as the establishment of an African Youth Assembly (AYA), African Youth Parliaments (AYP), Youth Participation Commission (YPC), and Youth Empowerment Commission (YEC) – among others. Keywords: Conflict, Governance, Inclusion, Peacebuilding, Youth

The incidence of banditry in Nigeria has assumed an unprecedented mien which constitutes a major bane to the hitherto troubled security in the country. The phenomenon has created a multi-pronged security challenge that has amplified the spate of destruction of life and property and displacement. Meanwhile, inchoate and nascent erudition is still associated with the incidence of banditry in Nigeria. Thus, this study attempts to satiate this lacuna by annotating the incidence from the Routine Activity Theory standpoint. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical armchair analysis which relies on a secondary source of data. The study found out that the menace of banditry is prevalent in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest. Some of the methods favoured by bandits include armed robbery, cattle rustling, arson, sexual violence, kidnapping, raiding villages and schools, looting, stealing livestock and gruesome killing. The incidence is attributable to the conflicts between farmers and herders for scarce resources, the influx of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) into Nigeria, an overwhelmed, weak and understaffed security apparatus, illegal mining, slow response and poor engagement of the Nigerian government, and a vast ungoverned forest territory. To adequately address the incidence of banditry in Nigeria, the study recommends a prevention strategy that focuses on the three major areas identified by the Routine Activity Theory: the motivated offender, the suitable target, and the absence of guardianship