Niger: Police, youths unite against political, digital thuggery

The Niger State Police Command has called on young people to reject political violence, cybercrime and other forms of unrest that could threaten peace and democratic engagement in the region. Commissioner of Police Adamu Abdullahi Elleman addressed this during a Police-Youth Dialogue with the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Minna, marking the 2026 International Youth Day.

The event, themed "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations," also marked the launch of the campaign "My Future is Greater than Political Thuggery." Youth representatives expressed concerns over security, inclusion, crime prevention, and electoral peace, requesting the police's involvement in upcoming NYCN elections and mediation between the youth group and the state government.

They further proposed establishing Early Warning Election Ambassadors and engaging responsible youth leaders to bolster electoral security and intelligence gathering across the three senatorial districts. CP Elleman pledged his willingness to mediate between the youth and the government, echoing Inspector-General Olatunji Rilwan Disu's warning against politicians exploiting youth for violence before, during, and after elections.

The police chief urged youth leaders to foster education, positive career paths, responsible citizenship, and cautioned against drug abuse and the harmful use of social media, specifically referencing digital thuggery such as misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, fake news, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and defamation for political gain.

A notable outcome was the appointment of Ambassador Ishaq Abdullahi as the Niger State Police Command Youth Ambassador, aimed at enhancing community policing and police-youth collaboration. The police will host a walkathon on Saturday, August 22, with NYCN members to further educate youths against political thuggery and other social vices, promoting peaceful democratic participation.