‘Stop using youths as political thugs’ – IGP Disu warns politicians ahead of 2027 polls

Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has warned politicians and other political actors against recruiting young people to attack or fight their political opponents ahead of the 2027 elections.

Disu gave the warning on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue in Abuja, organised by the Nigeria Police Force to mark the 2026 International Youth Day.

The police chief said the force would not tolerate electoral violence, the possession or use of weapons for political purposes, voter intimidation or the destruction of property during the election period.

He urged political actors to avoid actions that could threaten peace and security before, during and after the 2027 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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