TUNJI Disu, the Inspector-General of Police, has warned political leaders and actors against recruiting, arming or mobilising young Nigerians to fight their perceived political enemies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
News Point Nigeria reports that Disu issued the warning on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue held in Abuja, an event organised by the Nigeria Police Force to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day.
The Inspector-General said the police would not tolerate electoral violence, the possession or use of weapons for political purposes, intimidation of voters or the 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.
Disu therefore appealed to political leaders and actors across the political spectrum not to use young Nigerians as instruments for settling political scores or fighting perceived political enemies.
“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 Nigerian youths to resist any influence capable of causing violence and mayhem, the IGP said political violence had evolved beyond physical confrontations on the streets and now increasingly extended to the digital space.
“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.”
Disu encouraged young Nigerians to be more responsible in their use of social media and other digital platforms, urging them to verify information circulating online before acting on or sharing 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 warning comes against the backdrop of killings and attacks recorded in the wake of the recent Osun State governorship election.
Accord and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the two leading political parties in the election, recorded losses of members, including Dele Ayegbo, a nephew of Wole Oke, the APC campaign director-general, who was reportedly shot dead two days before the election.
However, the police have maintained that the various pre-election clashes and killings recorded in the state were cult-related and not politically motivated.