Richard Elesho

Kogi State Police Command has held a ceremony to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day with a charge by the state police boss CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, to youths to stay away from political violence, online abuse, misinformation, and other forms of criminality capable of destroying their future.

The ceremony was held on Saturday, 22 August, in Lokoja, the state capital with the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” with the campaign slogans, “My Future Is Greater Than Political and Digital Thuggery.”

The Police Commissioner said the campaign was designed to remind young Nigerians that no political ambition or digital influence was worth sacrificing their lives, freedom, and future.

According to him, youths may come from different backgrounds and face varying challenges, but they share common aspirations for peace, security, opportunity, dignity, and a better future.

He urged young people to resist attempts by political actors and criminal elements to exploit their energy, influence, and digital skills to promote violence and social disorder.

“Your future is too valuable to be sacrificed to violence, political manipulation, online abuse, misinformation or criminality,” Kankarofi told the youths.

He stressed that young people should not be regarded merely as leaders of tomorrow, but as critical partners in building a safer society today, noting that their creativity, energy and understanding of the digital space could either promote development or fuel division.

The commissioner said the Command had placed youth engagement at the centre of its policing strategy, arguing that effective policing could not be achieved without the trust and active participation of young people.

He described the Youth Campaign Walk and the Police–Youth Dialogue as more than ceremonial activities, saying they were platforms for listening, confidence-building, and developing practical strategies for crime prevention.

With future electoral activities approaching, the police commissioner also appealed to youths to reject the role of political thugs and refuse to be used as instruments of electoral violence.

“No political ambition is worth your life, your freedom or your future,” he declared, urging youths to participate peacefully, exercise their civic responsibilities responsibly, and protect the democratic process.

Kankarofi assured that the Kogi State Police Command would continue to maintain open channels of communication with young people while deepening collaboration with youth organisations, student bodies, religious groups, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.

The commissioner commended youth and student representatives who participated in the International Youth Day activities, describing their presence as evidence of a growing commitment to peace and responsible citizenship.

He also praised the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for his leadership and support for initiatives aimed at strengthening police-youth relations.

The commissioner urged participants to make the dialogue meaningful, honest, and solution-driven while calling on youths to collectively choose peace, reject violence, and protect the future they desire.

“Let us continue to choose peace, reject violence, and build the future we desire,” he concluded.