The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has urged Nigerian youths to reject political violence, digital thuggery and other forms of criminality capable of undermining the country’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Disu made the call on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force to commemorate International Youth Day 2026, with the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” and campaign, “My Future Is Greater Than Political And Digital Thuggery.”
The IGP said the warning had become necessary as Nigeria approaches another electoral cycle, stressing that young Nigerians must not allow themselves to be used as instruments for advancing the political interests of others at the expense of their lives and future.
He noted that while politicians could reconcile after elections, youths recruited into violence often bear the consequences through death, imprisonment, permanent injuries and destruction of property.
“Politicians contest elections, but you live with the consequences of those elections. When the campaign is over, political actors may reconcile. When political rivals disagree, they may eventually shake hands. But the young Nigerian who loses his or her life to electoral violence does not return home,” Disu said.
He assured Nigerians that the Police would protect the constitutional rights of citizens to participate in political activities, support political parties, express their opinions and campaign for candidates of their choice, provided such activities remained peaceful and lawful.
According to him, the Force would protect citizens, facilitate peaceful campaigns, secure candidates and campaign venues, safeguard public spaces and work to preserve the integrity of the electoral environment.
The IGP, however, warned that the Police would not tolerate the use of youths to perpetrate violence during the electoral process.
“We will not protect violence,” he declared, warning that the Force would act against the recruitment and mobilisation of youths for political violence, possession or use of weapons for electoral purposes, attacks on political opponents, voter intimidation, destruction of public or private property and other criminal acts disguised as political participation.
Disu also appealed to political leaders across the political spectrum to stop recruiting young Nigerians to fight political battles, urging them not to arm, finance or incite youths against fellow citizens.
He said Nigeria could not build a secure and prosperous future by destroying the generation expected to inherit the country.
The IGP also drew attention to the growing threat of digital thuggery, warning that political violence was no longer restricted to physical spaces but could begin on social media and other digital platforms.
He identified misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, impersonation, deepfakes, online intimidation and coordinated digital attacks as emerging threats capable of damaging reputations, inflaming communities, provoking real-world violence and eroding confidence in democratic institutions.
Disu therefore urged young Nigerians to exercise restraint and responsibility in their use of digital platforms.
“To every young Nigerian holding a smartphone, I say: your digital footprint is part of your citizenship. Before you forward a message, verify it. Before you publish an allegation, establish the facts,” he said.
He urged youths to adopt the principle: “Think before you click. Verify before you share. Pause before you post,” stressing that responsible digital citizenship was critical to sustaining peace and democratic participation.
The IGP said young Nigerians possessed the capacity to shape public conversations, challenge injustice, mobilise communities, develop technology, create businesses and influence public policy, urging them to deploy their influence positively rather than allow themselves to be manipulated for destructive purposes.
He challenged youths to choose leadership over political thuggery, peace over violence and innovation over destruction, while investing their energy in education, entrepreneurship, technology, creativity and service.
Disu further called for stronger Police-youth collaboration, saying young Nigerians should be treated as partners in preventing violence, combating cybercrime, promoting responsible digital citizenship, protecting vulnerable persons and strengthening peaceful democratic participation.
He stressed that security was a shared responsibility requiring collaboration among the Police, government, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders.
The IGP urged youths to actively and peacefully participate in Nigeria’s democratic process while protecting their future from individuals seeking to exploit them for political or criminal purposes.
“Your future is not yours alone. Your future is Nigeria’s future,” Disu said, urging the younger generation to become agents of peace, innovation, responsible citizenship and national development.
He charged Nigerian youths to ensure that history remembers their generation as one that refused to be used for violence, protected democracy and contributed to building a safer, more peaceful and prosperous country.
