Lagos CP Tijani, Army Brigade Commander Task Youths to Reject Political, Digital Thuggery

 Lagos CP Tijani, Army Brigade Commander Task Youths to Reject Political, Digital Thuggery

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, and Commander of the 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ayokunle Owolabi, have urged Nigerian youths to reject political violence, digital thuggery, misinformation and other forms of criminality ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The security chiefs made the call on Thursday at a Police-Youth Dialogue organised by the Lagos State Police Command as part of activities marking International Youth Day 2026.

The event, held at the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) Secretariat, Oduduwa Street, Lagos, was themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”

The dialogue brought together youths, security agencies, student organisations, transport unions, community groups and media practitioners to strengthen police-youth relations and promote peaceful participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.

The initiative was organised in line with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to deepen community policing, strengthen police-community partnerships and promote proactive engagement with young people.

Addressing participants, CP Tijani said the theme reflected the shared aspirations of Nigerian youths for security, dignity, opportunities and a better future, despite differences in their social and economic circumstances.

He warned youths against allowing themselves to be recruited by politicians as instruments of violence during elections.

According to him, politicians who sponsor electoral violence rarely expose their own children to the dangers associated with political thuggery.

“None of these politicians will use any of their children for electioneering, thuggery, violence or what have you. It is these different children of nobody. But for me, I want to believe that there is nobody that is nobody. All of us are very important at this point.”

Tijani urged young people to look beyond immediate financial inducements and consider the long-term consequences of participating in criminal activities.

“Tomorrow is there for us. We should not think of today. We should always think of tomorrow. That tomorrow is more important than what we are today.”

The Commissioner specifically warned youths against involvement in the snatching of electoral materials, voter intimidation, attacks on political opponents and other acts capable of disrupting the electoral process.

He also highlighted the growing digital dimension of political thuggery, noting that social media platforms and mobile phones could be exploited to spread threats, misinformation, harassment and inciting content.

“Your phone is powerful. Your social media account is powerful. Your voice is powerful. Please use that power to build, not destroy.”

He called on young people to verify information before sharing it and exercise restraint when confronted with provocative content online.

Tijani assured participants that the Police would continue to provide a secure environment for lawful political activities while taking professional action against criminality and violence.

The CP also challenged transport unions, particularly the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to prevent their members, garages and motor parks from being used as recruitment centres for political thuggery.

“Please do not allow your members to be recruited as political thugs. Do not allow your garages or motor parks to become centres for political violence.”

He further called on parents, educators, religious leaders, traditional rulers and community leaders to engage young people early, stressing that preventing criminal behaviour requires intervention before youths become involved in crime.

In his goodwill message, Brigadier General Owolabi described the dialogue as timely, particularly as technological advancement has created new avenues through which security threats can emerge.

He stressed the need for a whole-of-society approach to national security, with youths serving not only as beneficiaries of security but also as active partners in building peaceful and resilient communities.

The Lagos State Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), SP Olivia Amarachi Ugochukwu, also urged young Nigerians to take responsibility for creating safer communities.

“Policing is everybody’s business. If you see something, say something.”

She called on media practitioners to ensure that information disseminated to the public is properly verified.

Ugochukwu disclosed that POCACOV would continue its sensitisation programmes in schools and communities on drug abuse, cultism and other social vices.

“The change starts with us,” she said.

The dialogue featured representatives of the 9 Brigade Nigerian Army, 651 Base Service Group of the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy Beecroft, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Other participating organisations included POWA, NYSC, POCACOV, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), NURTW, RTEAN, CRAN, National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) and youths from police barracks across Lagos.

Participants discussed issues surrounding policing, political participation, social media, cultism, thuggery, emerging security threats and the relationship between young people and security agencies.

In recognition of their contributions to police-youth relations and community security, Engr. Adigun Ibrahim Olalekan, Chairman of NYCN Lagos State; Mayor Oki O. Samson, President of NAOSNP; and leaders of NANS and CRAN were honoured for their roles in security advocacy and community engagement.

The organisers said the engagement underscored the importance of involving young Nigerians in efforts to prevent violence and strengthen public safety.

As Nigeria approaches another electoral cycle, the speakers stressed that addressing youth vulnerability to political manipulation must go beyond policing the aftermath of violence.

They emphasised the need for sustained engagement, responsible digital citizenship, community participation and opportunities that enable young people to become stakeholders in peace and democratic development.

The central message of the dialogue was that while Nigerian youths may operate in different social and economic contexts, their aspirations for security, dignity and a better future remain shared—and protecting those aspirations requires collective responsibility from security agencies, government, families, communities, the media and the youths themselves.