The Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has pledged to partner with the Moderated Police-Youth Dialogue (MPYD) and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) to curb political thuggery and other social vices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
CP Elleman also assured youth organisations in the state of the Command’s readiness to deepen engagement with young people and relevant stakeholders to promote peaceful, credible and crime-free elections.
The Commissioner gave the assurance on Friday when he received members of the MPYD and a delegation of the NYCN, led by its State Chairman, Amb. Ishaq Abdullahi, during a courtesy visit to his office in Minna.
He urged youths, whom he described as the future leaders of the country, to channel their energy into productive ventures that would develop their talents and potentials, while shunning political thuggery, violence and other activities capable of jeopardising their future.
CP Elleman commended the delegation for its maturity, responsible disposition and continued support for the Police Command in the discharge of its mandate.
He said the Command would examine the issues raised by the youth groups and forward relevant matters to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, stressing that sustained Police-youth engagement was essential to promoting trust, responsible citizenship, crime prevention and stronger community policing.
The Commissioner particularly warned youths against digital thuggery and cyber-related offences, including misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, fake news, cyberbullying, cyberstalking and defamation of character when used for political purposes.
He further pledged to mediate between the youth body and the Niger State Government where necessary to facilitate constructive dialogue and ensure that legitimate youth concerns receive appropriate attention.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Amb. Ishaq Abdullahi, appealed to the Commissioner to support the forthcoming NYCN elections and mediate between the youth organisation and the state government to promote constructive engagement.
Abdullahi said the dialogue provided an opportunity for young people to engage directly with Police leadership on security, youth inclusion, crime prevention, electoral peace and stronger Police-youth partnerships.
The group proposed the appointment of credible Early Warning Election Ambassadors, engagement of responsible youth leaders to support electoral security efforts as ad-hoc personnel, and sustained engagement with youths across the three senatorial districts ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the measures would enhance proactive intelligence gathering, early response to potential crises and accountability during the electoral process.
The engagement, held under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” also featured the launch of the Special National Campaign Against Political and Digital Thuggery, with the theme “My Future is Greater than Political Thuggery.”
A major highlight of the event was the decoration of Amb. Ishaq Abdullahi by CP Elleman with a badge designating him as the Niger State Police Command Youth Ambassador, as part of activities marking the International Youth Day celebration and advancing community policing objectives.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Police Command and Niger State youths to building a peaceful, secure and inclusive society, while urging young people to reject violence, crime, substance abuse, political thuggery and harmful online conduct.
