The Katsina State Police Command has warned politicians against recruiting or sponsoring youths to engage in political violence, saying anyone involved will be arrested and prosecuted regardless of political affiliation.

The Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Fage, gave the warning on Thursday during the 2026 International Youth Day celebration at the command headquarters in Katsina.

Represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, Aminu Gusau, Fage said the command would not tolerate electoral violence, cybercrime or other criminal activities.

He said police intelligence officers and cybercrime units were monitoring social media platforms to tackle hate speech, electoral misinformation, cyber-harassment and other online offences.

He warned that those involved in online incitement and cybercrime would be arrested and prosecuted under the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act and other relevant laws.

Fage urged youths not to allow politicians to use them for violence, noting that those who recruit young people for political thuggery often protect their own children from such activities.

“Political thuggery is not employment; it is structured self-sabotage. Do not trade your future for temporary political patronage,” he said.

The command also launched a campaign, “My Future Is Greater Than Political Thuggery,” to discourage electoral violence, youth exploitation, online manipulation and cyber-vandalism ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Fage also warned against what he called digital thuggery, including online attacks, hate speech, blackmail and the deliberate spread of false information.

He advised youths to verify information before sharing it online and to use technology for innovation, business and national development.

The Commissioner of Police said peaceful elections were important to achieving the aspirations of young Nigerians, including better jobs, education, security, infrastructure and technological development.

The command also introduced a Police-Youth Dialogue Forum to encourage discussions between police officers and young people on security, crime prevention, public trust, responsible citizenship and community policing.

The event was attended by government officials, members of the Police Officers’ Wives Association, religious leaders and other stakeholders.