Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has warned political actors that the Nigeria Police Force will not tolerate the recruitment or mobilisation of young Nigerians for political violence, insisting that the Force will not protect acts of violence.
Disu further warned that the Force would also not tolerate the possession or use of weapons for electoral purposes, attacks on political opponents, intimidation of voters, destruction of public or private property, or any other criminal conduct disguised as political participation.
Speaking at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue, organised by the Nigeria Police Force to commemorate International Youth Day 2026, Disu said: “The law will take its course against anyone who crosses that line. And this message is not directed at one political party or one political interest. It is directed at everyone.”
He added: “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.”
He urged Nigerian youths to be at the forefront of global change and innovation and to drive national transformation, rather than serve as instruments of destruction.
The IGP stressed that there was another battlefield that the nation must confront, one that fits into the palm of young people, saying that political violence was no longer confined to the streets.
“It can begin on a smartphone. Misinformation; disinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying,
impersonation, deepfakes, online intimidation, and coordinated digital attacks. These are increasingly capable of damaging reputations, inflaming communities, provoking real-world violence and undermining public confidence in democratic institutions.
“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. 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?’” he said.
He stated that the programme was not simply about telling young people what not to do, adding: “It is about building a partnership that gives them something better to do.”
He concluded that the Nigeria Police Force engaged young Nigerians as partners in building safer communities; preventing violence; combating cybercrime; promoting responsible digital citizenship; protecting vulnerable persons; and strengthening peaceful democratic participation.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said engaging young Nigerians was part of the Force’s non-kinetic operations.
He stated that modern policing was impossible without the cooperation of the people, stressing that “the Nigeria of our dreams could not be built by the government, the police and other security agencies alone, but must be a collective responsibility.”
The National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue is themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”