Tunji Disu, the Inspector-General of police, has warned political actors against recruiting youths to fight their perceived political enemies ahead of the 2027 elections.
Disu spoke on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and
Security Dialogue held in Abuja. The event was organised by the Nigeria Police
Force (NPF) to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day (IYD).
The IGP warned that the police will not tolerate violence,
possession or use of weapons for electoral purposes, intimidation of voters or
destruction of property ahead of the elections.
“We will protect the integrity of the electoral environment.
But let me be equally clear, we will not protect violence. We will not tolerate
the recruitment or mobilisation of young Nigerians for political violence,” he
said.
“I therefore appeal to political leaders and actors across
the political spectrum: do not recruit our young people to fight your political
battles. Do not arm them. Do not finance violence. Do not incite them against
their fellow citizens. Do not encourage them to commit crimes today and promise
to protect them tomorrow.
“Nigeria cannot build a secure and prosperous future by
destroying the generation that is expected to inherit that future.”
While urging youths to resist any influence that could cause
mayhem, Disu said political violence has gone beyond physical confrontations on
the streets to online attacks.
“It can begin on a smartphone. Misinformation,
disinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, impersonation, deepfakes, online
intimidation, and coordinated digital attacks,” he said.
“These are increasingly capable of damaging reputations,
inflaming communities, provoking real-world violence and undermining public
confidence in democratic institutions.”
The IGP encouraged youths to verify information circulating
online before acting on it.
“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.
“Before you attack someone online, remember that there is a
human being behind the screen. Before you share inflammatory content, ask
yourself one question: ‘Will this build Nigeria or burn Nigeria?’”
The IGP’s remarks come against the backdrop of killings and
attacks in the wake of the recent Osun state governorship election.
Accord and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the two
leading parties in Osun, recorded losses of members, including Dele Ayegbo,
nephew of Wole Oke, the APC campaign director-general, who was reportedly shot
dead two days before the election.
However, the police have insisted that the various
pre-election clashes and killings were cult-related rather than politically
motivated.
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