Police Warn Youths Against Political, Digital Thuggery Ahead Of 2027
With the 2027 elections approaching, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has warned Nigerian youths against being used as tools for political violence, urging them to protect their future rather than fight battles for politicians.
Disu gave the warning at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force to mark International Youth Day 2026, where he said politicians may reconcile after elections, but victims of electoral violence may never recover.
The IGP said the police would protect Nigerians’ constitutional right to peaceful political participation, but would not tolerate the recruitment of youths for violence, use of weapons for electoral purposes, attacks on opponents, voter intimidation or destruction of property.
He also warned of a new form of political thuggery playing out online, including misinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, impersonation and deepfakes, which he said could inflame communities and trigger real-world violence.
Disu urged young Nigerians to “think before you click”, verify information before sharing it and use their influence to promote peace, innovation and responsible citizenship.
He said the police wanted youths as partners in preventing violence, combating cybercrime and strengthening peaceful democratic participation, stressing that security was a shared responsibility.
The IGP’s message was blunt: youths should refuse to be recruited for violence, avoid carrying weapons for political interests and participate actively and lawfully in democracy.
“Your future is Nigeria’s future,” he said.
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