IGP DISU CHARGES YOUTHS TO UPHOLD NIGERIA'S POLITICAL FUTURE

IGP DISU CHARGES YOUTHS TO UPHOLD NIGERIA'S POLITICAL FUTURE 

By Jennifer Nwosu

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has warned that Nigeria’s next generation of voters and leaders is facing a familiar political temptation to turn youthful energy into an instrument of violence and that cycle must be broken.

Speaking at a National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue in Abuja to mark International Youth Day 2026, IGP Olatunji Disu, placed young Nigerians at the centre of a broader conversation about the country’s political future, digital space and security.

His message was not simply a warning against crime. It was a challenge to a generation whose numbers, influence and growing presence in politics and technology could significantly shape Nigeria’s future.

The dialogue, organised by the Nigeria Police Force, was held under the International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” alongside a campaign against political and digital thuggery.

The IGP urged young people to examine the price of political violence before accepting money, promises or instructions from political actors.

For many youths drawn into election-related violence, the rewards are temporary. The consequences can include arrest, injury, criminal prosecution, loss of opportunities and in the worst cases, death.

The Inspector-General therefore called on political leaders to stop treating young Nigerians as expendable instruments of political competition. He urged politicians across party lines to reject the recruitment, financing and arming of youths for violent activities.

The IGP Disu's stated that growing concerns extend beyond election rallies and polling stations.

Nigeria's political battles are increasingly being fought on smartphones. False information, manipulated videos, deepfakes, impersonation, cyberbullying and hate-driven content can travel across thousands of screens within minutes, sometimes creating consequences far beyond the digital space.

He urged young Nigerians to become more discerning participants in the country's digital life.

The campaign's message is simple; think before clicking, verify before sharing and pause before posting.

The dialogue was also framed around opportunity.

Rather than seeing young Nigerians primarily through the lens of crime and security threats, the Police said they should be partners in solving the problems confronting their communities. Their role could extend from technology and entrepreneurship to public policy, community mobilisation, violence prevention and the protection of vulnerable people.

That approach reflects a larger reality. Nigeria's youth population is not merely an audience for political campaigns. It is a significant part of the country's economic, technological and civic future.

The choices young Nigerians make during elections and online will therefore have consequences beyond any single political contest.

The central question raised at the dialogue was whether young people will allow others to decide what their energy should be used for — or whether they will take ownership of their influence.

For the Inspector-General, the answer should be clear that Nigeria's young people should not become foot soldiers for ambitions that may disappear when the political contest is over.

They should become the generation that builds what comes next.