The Ogun State Police Command has launched a statewide campaign urging young people to reject political violence, digital harassment and other forms of criminal activity.
The campaign, titled “My Future is Better than Political and Digital Thuggery”, was launched in Abeokuta during activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day.
The programme included a sensitisation walk and a youth engagement session involving police officers, other security agencies, youth organisations and civil society groups.
The command said the initiative follows a wider directive from Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu to strengthen community engagement and encourage young Nigerians to avoid being used in political violence.
The police did not announce any new funding, training places or employment opportunities for young people as part of the campaign.
Its immediate focus appears to be sensitisation and engagement.
Police link youth engagement to community safety
Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni told participants that young people should not allow themselves to become instruments of political violence or digital harassment.
The command said its approach would focus on creating an environment where young people can pursue education, entrepreneurship, technology and other legitimate opportunities.
Speaking on behalf of the commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Police Adeoye Olugbemiga said security was a shared responsibility.
He urged young people to reject cultism, cybercrime, substance abuse and political thuggery.
He instead encouraged them to pursue education, entrepreneurship, technology and legitimate skills.
The engagement was held at the Police Officers’ Mess in Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta, in collaboration with the Nigerian Youth Parliament.
Participants included representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, Ogun State Fire Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Youth Service Corps and several youth organisations.
The campaign comes amid a wider push for community policing
The initiative fits into a broader community-policing approach that the Nigeria Police Force has said it wants to strengthen.
The force says community policing has been part of its strategy since 2002 and involves greater engagement between the police and the communities they serve.
In June, the police also launched a nationwide advocacy campaign against cultism and other social vices through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices, known as POCACOV.
That programme targets youth involvement in cultism, drug abuse and violent crime through grassroots sensitisation and partnerships with schools and communities.
The Inspector-General has also directed police commissioners to deepen engagement with youth groups and other community stakeholders as part of crime prevention efforts.
The Ogun initiative therefore represents a state-level continuation of an approach the force has already been pursuing nationally.
International Youth Day theme differs from Ogun campaign
The Ogun Police campaign was organised around the theme “Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future”, according to the command.
However, the official United Nations theme for International Youth Day 2026 is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”.
The UN says this year's observance focuses on young people's shared aspirations for dignity, opportunity, meaningful participation, decent work and a sustainable future.
The UN has also highlighted digital literacy, critical thinking, resilience and other future-ready skills as important to helping young people navigate technological and social changes.
That emphasis overlaps with some of the Ogun programmer's focus on digital behaviour, skills and responsible participation.
But there is an important difference.
While the UN frames youth primarily as partners in development and decision-making, the Ogun campaign places a stronger emphasis on preventing young people from becoming involved in crime and political violence.
Youth asked to move from consumption to creation
Legal practitioner and youth advocate Dr Kayode Akinsola told participants that youth empowerment should extend beyond temporary financial assistance.
He argued that it should include capacity building, digital literacy, structured mentorship and participation in decision-making.
He also urged young people to “shift from scrolling to creating, from complaining to contributing, and from political thuggery to purposeful leadership”.
The event also featured a panel discussion involving cpd Adeoye Olugbemiga, Lieutenant-Colonel P. L. Ebaji of the 35 Artillery Brigade, UN award winner Ambassador Habeeb Whyte and Skillup Summit convener Queen Joy Adeola Oluyege.
The panellists discussed civic participation, personal responsibility and the need for young people who succeed to help others progress.
Participants also questioned the panellists about civic space, relations between young people and law enforcement, and ways they could work safely with security agencies.
What happens next?
The Ogun Police Command said the campaign will extend beyond the International Youth Day event.
It said it plans to strengthen community policing through school outreach, mentorship programmes and digital literacy campaigns.
The command also called on parents, teachers and community leaders to guide young people towards constructive activities.
The effectiveness of the campaign, however, will depend on what follows the sensitisation events.
The police have not provided figures showing how many young people the Ogun programme will reach, how many schools will participate, what resources have been committed or how its impact will be measured.
Those details will matter if the campaign is to move beyond public messaging and demonstrate measurable changes in youth engagement, crime prevention and relations between young people and the police.
For now, the Ogun initiative adds another layer to the Nigeria Police Force's wider effort to use community engagement and preventive policing to address youth-related security challenges.
Its next test will be whether the promised school, mentorship and digital literacy programmes are sustained after the International Youth Day activities.
