Abia Police Celebrate International Youth Day, Launch Campaign Against Political, Digital Thuggery.

Abia Police Celebrate International Youth Day, Launch Campaign Against Political, Digital Thuggery.

The Abia State Police Command has called on youths in the state to shun drug abuse, political thuggery, cybercrime and other social vices capable of destroying their future and undermining peace and security.

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, made the call on Thursday during the 2026 International Youth Day celebration organised by the command at the Police Officers’ Mess, Umuahia.

The event, which had the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” also featured the official launch of the national campaign against political and digital thuggery, with the campaign theme “My Future is Greater Than Political and Digital Thuggery.”

Afolabi said the command’s decision to engage youths was informed by the need to prevent them from being recruited into criminal activities, noting that tackling youth involvement in crime was critical to reducing criminality in the society.

According to him, drug abuse remains a major factor contributing to criminal activities, as many people involved in crime often take drugs before carrying out criminal acts.

The Commissioner, who shared personal experiences about the devastating consequences of drug abuse, said substance abuse could destroy the future of young people irrespective of their family background or social status.

He said his experience had shown that drug addiction could derail education, career and other opportunities available to young people.

Afolabi therefore urged youths to stay away from drugs, stressing that there was no future for anyone who allowed substance abuse to take control of his or her life.

The Commissioner also used the occasion to address the long-standing perception of mistrust between the police and youths, saying improved relations between both groups were necessary for effective policing.

He said his administration would prioritise mutual trust and information sharing between the police and members of the public, describing residents as an important source of information needed to prevent and solve crimes.

Afolabi said the police could not effectively fight crime in isolation, adding that cooperation with members of the public remained essential to successful policing.

He disclosed that the command would strengthen community policing through closer collaboration with vigilantes, neighbourhood security groups, corps members and other stakeholders.

The CP also announced plans to launch a Community Safety Partnership initiative in Aba, aimed at bringing the police and communities together to enhance security.

He said the command would encourage joint patrols involving the police, vigilantes and other neighbourhood security structures, stressing that all stakeholders had a common objective of making Abia safer.

The Commissioner assured residents that with their cooperation, the command would work towards making a positive difference in the security situation in the state.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Ifeanyi A. Ohuruzo, said the International Youth Day was established by the United Nations in 1999 to recognise the contributions, potentials and aspirations of young people in building a sustainable future.

Ohuruzo urged youths to see themselves not only as leaders of tomorrow but as important stakeholders in the Nigeria of today.

He advised them to pursue their dreams through hard work, patience and perseverance, while avoiding cultism, drug addiction and other social vices capable of jeopardising their future.

Representing the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth and Sports, Mr Onyebuchi Chukwu, pledged the ministry’s support for the police initiative.

Chukwu, who spoke on behalf of the state government, described Abia youths as responsible, intelligent and capable of contributing meaningfully to the development of the state.

He urged the youths to reject political and digital thuggery, while assuring the police command of the ministry’s partnership in sustaining the initiative.

In her presentation on “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” DSP Maryjane Okere said young people might come from different social, economic, cultural and geographical backgrounds but shared common aspirations for peace, security, dignity, education, employment, justice, inclusion and good governance.

Okere said the theme underscored the need for young people to recognise their common interests despite their differences and work collectively towards building a responsible society.

She identified civic, political, digital and community responsibilities as some of the roles youths must embrace in building a peaceful and responsible society.

The police officer urged youths to participate actively in political processes without resorting to violence, obey the law, volunteer for community development and cooperate with security agencies.

She also warned against the irresponsible use of social media, including cyberbullying, online harassment, impersonation and the spread of unverified information.

According to her, youths should adopt five principles before engaging in activities in the digital space: stop, verify, think, report and build.

She urged them to verify information before sharing it, think about the possible consequences of their online actions, report harmful or criminal content through appropriate channels and use their digital platforms to educate, connect and solve problems.

Also speaking, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State CID, DC Christopher Bassey warned youths against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political violence, stressing that young people had the right to participate in politics, support candidates and aspire to political leadership without resorting to violence.

He said political thuggery could expose youths to arrest, prosecution, injury, imprisonment and even death, while those who recruited them might abandon them when the consequences of their actions emerged.

He therefore urged youths not to “rent” out their future for temporary political gains, but to use their energy and talents to acquire skills, build businesses, develop careers and prepare for leadership..

On digital thuggery, Bassey cautioned youths against cyberbullying, online threats, impersonation, fraud, harassment and the deliberate spread of false or harmful information.

He urged them to make responsible use of technology and social media, noting that the digital space could provide opportunities for education, entrepreneurship, talent development and global engagement when properly utilised.

The DCP also appealed to political stakeholders to treat youths as partners in democratic development rather than instruments for violence.

He assured young people that the police would continue to protect their right to participate peacefully in civic and political activities, while enforcing the law against criminal conduct both offline and online.

The celebration also featured goodwill messages from representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Niger Delta Student Union, New Face of Ignorance Youth Movement, NYSC, Ohanaeze Youth Council, Nigeria Youth Organisation, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), and other youth and government representatives.

The event featured interactive sessions, presentations and the official launch of the campaign against political and digital thuggery.

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